The Minister of Defence stated this Thursday, March 12, that he contacted the mayor of Leiria as soon as he arrived in Portugal on January 29 and received no response, lamenting that the mayor decided to belittle those who helped him. Nuno Melo was speaking during a hearing at the Assembly of the Republic, following questions from CDS-PP MP João Almeida regarding whether he had contacted the mayor of Leiria, Gonçalo Lopes (PS), who had complained about the lack of military personnel on the ground during the storms that hit the country between late January and early February. The minister refuted claims of delays, stating that the Armed Forces' readiness was at its maximum from the first day.