Manuel Alegre sculpture in Poets Park in Oeiras, Portugal. Manuel Alegre is a Portuguese poet and politician, who was born May 12, 1936 in Agueda. He studied law at the Coimbra University, where he was an active student leader. Manuel Alegre has produced a vast literary work, which gave him notoriety. His poetry is the one that stands out, having been assigned to him several literary prizes. Manuel Alegre is a candidate for President of the Portuguese Republic, elections to be held on January 23, 2011.