A Parthian shot....

From: 

http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2008/08/interview-with-gonalo-amaral-iol.html

http://madeleinemccann.org/blog/2014/04/20/goncalo-amaral-the-interviews-augsep-08/

From the very first moment it was political - that remains the most important aspect of this case. 

But where did the alleged power of the couple, which you have been suggesting, come from?

On the first night, a dossier about the family was requested, which the English authorities never sent. It was said that they were connected to commissions that emitted opinion reports on nuclear issues, but none of that was ever confirmed officially. Connections to political parties were also mentioned.

Did the British police send information about the McCanns and their friends?

'No. They never sent the information that we requested. In fact, they did send only once, financial information. They stated that the couple had a mortgage and that there was no knowledge of any credit or debit cards. How didn’t they have any? The registration of the rental car mentions the card numbers. Concerning the other members of the group, the information was also only that.'  unquote

1. Press and political pressure ensured that the Portuguese police was unable to proceed with normal enquiries, such as requesting background information on the parents and health records of the missing child. 
2. The McCanns suggested FBI (iirc, FBI psychics) to help in the search. The PJ chose dogs, British dogs. A cadaver dog and a blood dog. The results of those searches led to the McCanns being given arguido status. 
3. It took eleven months until that status was lifted, after political pressure on the Portuguese government. During this time they had help from top lawyers and certainly from the Home Office. 
4. Unfortunately this did not result in a 'get out of jail free' card. Portugal is a democracy. They were obliged to publish the greater part of the files. Effect.
5. The only thing that could be done was to spin the information. Enter 2000 sightings 'hidden' in the files, all allegedly ignored by the PJ. A rich haul for the press, often in the form of a recently deceased paedophile, one to fall back on as and when necessary. Effect. 
6. Forums and blogs were making the most of the files, politics were fairly useless here, so soft targets were selected by tough lawyers to show  the heretics what could happen to them if they persisted in discussing the possibility of guilt on the parents' part. Effect.
7. A book to convince the world of the one and only truth.  A book about Madeleine but in most chapters she is strangely absent. Spin.
8. As the PJ files and the events described in both books gave rise to ever more discussion on the internet it became apparent that something had to be done. However docile the press was, the social media did not fall in line. 
9. Using political and the tabloid press, team McCann forced a review by Scotland Yard  which would clear their names forever. The PJ files would be seen to be inferior to any Scotland Yard review, or at least they would be presented as such by the press and Scotland Yard.  Effect. 
10. The next step was to win the case against Dr. Amaral. This attempt failed.  
11. The next disaster was that the PJ dusted the case off and started again. Cause.
12. Spin. The McCanns let it be known that they would be helping the PJ as 'assistentes'. This was not confirmed by the Portuguese investigators. 
13. After years of litigation Dr. Amaral and his associates won the case in the Lisbon Court. 
14.  Thirteen years after the disappearance of Madeleine, the tabloids are still selling millions of extra copies, spiked with ever more lurid stories as to what may have happened to her. The name and the standard photo of a surprised looking child in a red dress  is the same as printing money as far as  the press are concerned.  Dead or alive, 50.000 + extra copies sold  
15. Team McCann still stress her being 100% alive and appeal to the public for the much-needed funds needed for the search,   although the accounts of the limited company are particularly unhelpful in determining if  any financial help is needed.