José Alberto Azeredo Lopes

{{Short description|Portuguese politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = José Alberto de Azeredo Lopes

|image = Informal meeting of defence ministers (FAC). Arrivals José Azeredo Lopes (36267036083) (cropped).jpg

|office = Minister of National Defence

|primeminister = António Costa

|vicepresident =

|term_start = 26 November 2015

|term_end = 15 October 2018

|predecessor = José Pedro Aguiar-Branco{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/politica/antonio-costa-indigitado-a-lista-dos-novos-ministros-de-portugal_n876431|title=António Costa indigitado: a lista dos novos ministros de Portugal|publisher=Radio and Television of Portugal|date=24 November 2015|first=Christopher|last=Marques|language=pt|accessdate=13 September 2018}}

|successor = João Gomes Cravinho

|office2 =

|birth_date = 20 June 1961

|birth_place = Porto, Portugal

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party =

|alma_mater =

}}

José Alberto de Azeredo Lopes (born 20 June 1961) is a Portuguese politician who served as Minister of National Defence from November 2015{{cite web|url=https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc21/area-de-governo/defesa-nacional/ministro|title=José Alberto de Azeredo Lopes|work=portugal.gov.pt|accessdate=8 September 2018|language=pt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908152957/https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc21/area-de-governo/defesa-nacional/ministro|archive-date=8 September 2018|url-status=live}} to October 2018.

Azeredo Lopes previously served as the president of the Regulatory Authority for the Media and was a law professor at the Catholic University of Portugal.{{cite web|url=https://www.portugal.gov.pt/en/gc21/ministries/national-defense|title=José Alberto de Azeredo Lopes|work=portugal.gov.pt|accessdate=8 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180908134208/https://www.portugal.gov.pt/en/gc21/ministries/national-defense|archive-date=8 September 2018|url-status=live}} He announced his resignation as National Defence Minister on 12 October 2018 amid an investigation into a theft of weapons from a military base,{{cite web|url=https://visao.sapo.pt/actualidade/portugal/2018-10-12-Azeredo-Lopes-um-ministro-com-uma-passagem-atribulada-pelo-Governo|title=Azeredo Lopes, um ministro com uma passagem atribulada pelo Governo|work=Visão|date=12 October 2018|language=pt|accessdate=13 October 2018}} and was succeeded by João Gomes Cravinho on 15 October 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.publico.pt/2018/10/14/politica/noticia/gomes-cravinho-e-ministro-da-defesa-marta-temido-da-saude-graca-fonseca-da-cultura-e-siza-vieira-da-economia-1847472|title=Uma remodelação com peso político|work=Público|date=14 October 2018|first=São|last=José Almeida|accessdate=15 October 2018|language=pt}} In 2019, he was brought to trial over his alleged role in a suspected army cover-up of a theft of grenades, anti-tank rockets, other explosives and ammunition from a military arms depot in 2017; he himself has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.Catarina Demony (September 26, 2019), [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-portugal-politics-trial/former-portuguese-minister-to-face-trial-over-weapons-theft-cover-up-idUSKBN1WB2J8 Former Portuguese minister to face trial over weapons theft cover-up] Reuters.