Marcelo, the guilt that dies single and the birds of Gaza

This Friday, the President of the Republic criticized situations in the media sector in which blame “dies single”, repeating an expression he used a year ago, and said he expected “better news from Portuguese journalism” in 2025.

At the Gazeta 2023 Awards ceremony, at Grémio Literário, in Lisbon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa considered that “repeat words already said“, in situations “with ballast in working conditionsin the quality of the content produced, in the uncertainty regarding payments and salaries and, above all, with negative effects on the lives of so many journalists and their families”.

The head of state said that, if the ceremony a year ago was “marked by the situation experienced in one of the large communication groups, the Global Media Group”, now they are “other protagonists, such as Visionbut with exactly the same consequences.”

In November, the Trust in News Special Revitalization Processwith more than R$30 million in debt, was rejected, leaving titles such as magazines and 150 jobs at risk.

In the first half of the year, the Global Media group — which culminated, in July, with, among other titles, Notícias Ilimitadas, a company led by Domingos Andrade. Among the titles that remain at Global Media are Diário de Notícias and Dinheiro Vivo.

“We live uncertainties in these companies where no one is responsibleis not the owner, not the manager, not the financieris no one with administrative responsibilities, in which dies single due to guilt“, he criticized.

At the end of his speech, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised the “heroic role” of journalists and said he hoped “best news from Portuguese journalism” this year.

“I continue to believe, I believed before becoming President, I will continue to believe after being: democracy and freedom of the press will win“, declared the head of state, who is one year and two months away from the end of his term.

The birds of Gaza

In this ceremony, in which Maria Antônia Palla received the Gazeta de Mérito, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa expressed admiration for his career as a journalist and defender of women’s rights and announced that he will soon be awarded the rank of grand officer of the Order of Freedom.

Before speaking, the head of state listened to another of the award winners, Martha Vidaldistinguished with Gazeta de Imprensa for the report published by Expresso with the title ““, accusing him and also the Government and the Mayor of Lisbon of remaining “silent” in the face of “the annihilation of a people and a territory” on the part of Israel.

The President of the Republic made a point of addressing Marta Vidal directly, as she was “directly questioned”and began by mentioning that “it is a reality that Portugal has not yet recognized the State of Palestine” and that “there is an attempt at an agreement in the European Union in which there are several positions”.

Marcelo added that, “nevertheless, Portugal continues to believe that there must be a solution, which was refused by the Knesset Israeli government for months, but this is the solution adopted by the international community: two peoples, two states“.

The head of state also highlighted that Portugal “voted in the United Nations General Assembly for Palestine to move from an associated member to a full member” and “voted on all condemnation resolutions of what were attacks on humanitarian law committed by Israel in Gaza”.

About Maria Antónia Palla, who began her career in 1968, at Diário Popular, and went on to work at O ​​Século Ilustrado, Vida Mundial, Anop, A Capital, RTP and DN, Marcelo highlighted that she was the first female vice-president of the Journalists Unions, in 1979, and president of the Journalists’ Pension Fund.

“A great character, a great personalitya great ethical example, a great democrat. Rewarding her means doing justice that is long overdue”, he praised.

The Gazeta Awards are an initiative of the Journalists Club and have the support of Lisbon City Council.