Portugal helped Brazil to be a world power – but only “a little bit”

The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said that Portugal feels “pride and joy” for helping Brazil become a “great world power”.

MARCELO REBELO DE SOUSA the state visit ended on Tuesday Brazilafter arriving on Sunday to Recife, for a visit to the invitation of the Brazilian counterpart, which precedes the 14th Luso-Brazilian Summit.

At a dinner that was also attended by the Prime Minister, about a dozen Portuguese ministers, the diplomatic corps of both countries and several members of the Brazilian government, the Portuguese head of state said Pride for Portugal helped “a little” Brazil to be “world power”.

“We have the pride and joy of seeing that we helped a little to build this great world power that is Brazil,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Tuesday, during the toast at the dinner offered by Lula da Silva at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia.

Luís Montenegro was present on Tuesday at the last two points of the President of the Republic program: the delivery of Camões Award to the Brazilian poet Adelia Prado (represented by son Eugênio Prado) and a state dinner, both at Itamaraty Palace.

Lula da Silva happy for Brazilians being “well treated in Portugal”

“I am very happy because they are well treated in Portugal,” said the Brazilian head of state, during a short speech before dinner at Itamaraty Palace.

“Portugal discovered Brazil in 1500 and Now Brazil has discovered Portugal”Said Lula da Silva.

The Brazilian president also stressed that Portugal today “is the home of more than half a million women and men [brasileiros] who are looking for another direction, another culture, employment, improvement of life. ”

Still, in a speech minutes earlier, during the Camões Prado Camões Prado Award ceremony, Lula da Silva said that “respecting the dignity” of people who emigrate is a recognition of “that There are more similarities than differences ”among people.

Despite the compliments of Lula da Silva, a source of Brazilian diplomacy told Lusa that the theme is concerned with the Brazilian government and that it will be addressed during the summit to growing denunciations of xenophobia felt by Brazilians in Portugal.

“We have a concern with Xenophobia OE also in Portugal. And even with Brazilians, or perhaps especially with Brazilians, ”said Brazilian diplomacy.

United Against Organized Crime

Portugal and Brazil will sign an agreement to reinforce the fight against crime Organized through the sharing of “information and data” and “investigations and joint operations,” the Brazilian Ministry of Justice told Lusa.

The Brazilian authorities have already admitted the existence of members of the Brazilian criminal organization in Portugal.

During a trip to Lisbon, in July, the Minister of Justice and Public Security of Brazil, Ricardo Lewandowskiadmitted the existence of elements of criminal organizations.

“Possible that some members of criminal factions came to Portugal, even because of the ease of language and the traditional reception that Portugal gives to Brazilians, and that is reciprocal, this may eventually have facilitated,” he said.

The CCP emerged three decades ago in the prisons of São Paulo And it is present throughout the Brazilian territory and much of South America, especially Paraguay and Bolivia.

Already The Red Command was created in 1979 in the arrests of Rio de Janeiro And it is today one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world.

The Cooperation Agreement in the field of research and combating transnational organized crime and terrorism aims to “reinforce the fight against organized crime through the exchange of information and data, as well as the conduct of investigations and joint operations,” he detailed on Tuesday -Lusa source from the Ministry of Justice of Brazil.

The cooperation will be made between Brazilian Federal Police and the Portuguese side by the Republican National Guard, Judicial Police and Public Security Police.

20 agreements between Portugal and Brazil

Portugal and Brazil are expected to sign about 20 agreements in areas such as defense, safety, justice, science, health, commerce, energy and culture at the Luso-Brazilian summit that brings together the authorities of both countries.

Source of Brazilian diplomacy near Luso-Brazilian negotiations told Lusa that the agreements also include areas such as Information Protection, Academic Mobility, Police Cooperation, Energy Transition, Environmental Crimes, Public Healthbetween others.

The practically closed agreements between Portugal and Brazil cover defense, health and culture. The agreement for the protection of classified information is highlighted, seen as essential for trade in defense.

In the health sector, a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Portuguese organizations. In culture, a memorandum of understanding is practically completed between the National Library Foundation of Brazil and the Portugal National Library that will promote exchange in the management of files and libraries.

In negotiation, in the academic and scientific sector, is an agreement between the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil and the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal for the mobility of researchers and students.

Still in negotiation are agreements in sectors such as environment, transport and digital economy, such as the memorandum of understanding of international environmental crimes, a memo of understanding of port cooperation and even aging, winery, exchange of information regarding criminal registration and antecedents. Criminal, fighting terrorism and road safety.

An agreement in the context of investigation and combating terrorism and financing of transnational organized crime is seen by Brazilian diplomacy as very important. Brazil wants to work “very close to Portugal in this area of ​​cooperation”, according to the same source.

In addition, agreements are also being negotiated between Brazil’s National Electric Energy Agency and Portugal’s energy services regulatory entity for market regulation and cooperation in the scope of energy transition and a memo of understanding about healthy eating and prevention of obesity.

It is planned to create a unit of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Lisbon.