Senior member of Portugal's Socialist Party arrested

Armando Vara, a senior member of Portugal's Socialist Party, has been arrested and was brought before a judge at Lisbon's criminal court this Friday, according to a statement by the country's attorney general.

Vara was arrested on Thursday under the "Operation Marques" which also saw former prime minister Jose Socrates imprisoned in Evora, some 130 km southeast of capital Lisbon.

Vara is being held under suspicion of corruption, fraud and money laundering, according to the statement.

The statement adds that house searches were carried out as well as searches in companies and at a banking institution.

Vara was condemned to five years in prison in September last year for three crimes relating to influence peddling and was awaiting a decision on his trial.