Joaquim Sarmento, Portuguese writer and former deputy, dies at 74

Joaquim Sarmento, a Portuguese writer, lawyer, and former Socialist Party deputy, has died at the age of 74 in Resende, Viseu.

Sarmento served two terms as a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic for the Viseu district between 1995 and 2002. His political career also included local government roles in Lamego, where he served as vice-president of the city council, president of the Municipal Assembly, and councilor for Culture.

As an author, he published approximately ten titles spanning novels, chronicles, and theater. His notable works include “Fragmentos e paixões,” “Retalhos de silêncio – Diário de um deputado,” “A memória e o tempo,” and “O crime de Cerejeiro.” Throughout his career, he emphasized the importance of culture in public life, stating in a 2010 interview, “Sempre fiz da cultura um importante patamar da vida pública” (I have always made culture an important level of public life).