It isn’t just the nation’s court buildings (and schools) that are plagued by ‘pest infestations’: the higher echelons of government also have to deal with them, and in a sense, exist alongside all kinds of lurking ‘horrors’.
Tabloid Correio da Manhã reports today on long-standing issues at the prime minister’s official residence – the Palacete de São Bento – and how it costs roughly €4,600 just to ‘keep pests at bay’.
We’re talking mice, moths, mosquitoes, silverfish, ants, beetle larvae (in books), and even processionary caterpillars (in the gardens).
The latest ‘direct contract’ forged with a pest-control company, includes “preventive actions, corrective actions and emergency interventions”.
There is no talk of “total obliteration” (in line with current geopolitical times): the understanding is that when it comes to historic buildings, pests simply have to be ‘taken on board’ (very much like international situations).
CM explains that the worst affected areas are those of the kitchens/ kitchen utility/ storage areas, bathrooms, sewage system and gardens.
The palacete dates back to 1877, and has been the official residence of Portuguese prime ministers since 1938.
“It is not the only one among the state’s centenarian buildings with this kind of invasion,” adds CM – referring to the government’s ‘BASE’ website, which shows that in 2025 alone, over €5.5 million was spent on pest control in public buildings.
Just for the grand parliamentary building in central Lisbon, over €14,000 will be spent this year ‘controlling pests’ of some description or other, says the paper.
Source material: Correio da Manhã
