Fátima Felgueiras was born in Rio de Janeiro, then capital city of Brazil, from Portuguese parents.
She studied in a secondary school of Guimarães and earned a degree in Germanic Philology from the University of Coimbra.
The then 49-year-old fugitive has been charged with 30 counts of corruption, embezzlement, prevarication and abuse of power and was suspected of managing a US$1 million "saco azul" (blue bag) to pay for her own electoral propaganda, Socialist Party office rent and phone bills, her new Audi, among others.
Police sources said the mayor escaped to Rio de Janeiro (through Madrid and São Paulo) just before authorities received the warrant issued by the court.
After several months in Brazil, and being the owner of a Brazilian passport, Fátima Felgueiras returned home to be arrested and released in less than 24 hours.