Paulo Portas: “It is very extraordinary that Portugal has managed to rebuild relations with its former possessions””

The former Minister of Defense praises Portuguese diplomacy for being able to maintain alliances with former colonies

“Portugal was the last European empire and had to readapt in 50 years to its geostrategic circumstances, maintaining alliances and rediscovering destinies. 50 years in historical time is almost nothing”, considers Paulo Portas.

In an interview with Maria João Avilez, on the podcast “I was there”, on Observador, Paulo Portas highlighted that “it is very extraordinary that Portugal has managed to rebuild its relations with its former possessions, which are independent and sovereign states where, in some cases , there was war.” And above all that it has managed, “with a great consensus and stability in foreign policy”, to rebuild “its relations, not only between people, which I think is quite natural, but between authorities”.

The former CDS-PP Defense Minister also highlights the fact that Portugal has “a Lusophone policy that makes sense” – “another thing is whether it could be more efficient”, he points out.

“Portugal was able to absorb a million people who lived in Africa. And this with enormous trauma and enormous pain. And at the same time with survival and reinvention. What sociologically, socially and economically Portugal absorbed is an achievement. It is an achievement because in other cases the tendency would have been towards conflict, not towards integration and reinvention”, he says.