The authorities of Portugal have refused to initiate any process of paying reparations for slavery during the colonial era, reports Reuters.
The government’s statement indicates that it wants to “deepen relationships, respect historical truth,” but it has “no program of specific actions” for paying reparations. It is noted that previous governments have adhered to similar policies.
Earlier, the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, stated that Portugal could use several methods to pay reparations, such as forgiving debts of former colonies and providing funding. However, he added that he has “no process or program of specific actions” for paying reparations.
The head of state described the relationship with former colonies as “truly outstanding” and mentioned cooperation in areas such as education, language, culture, healthcare, as well as financial, budget, and economic cooperation.
On April 23, the president spoke about the need for compensation, which drew sharp criticism from right-wing parties, including the junior partner of the government coalition Democratic Alliance, the People’s Party CDS, and the far-right Chega party.
“We cannot sweep this under the carpet or put it in a drawer. We have a duty to pilot, to lead this process of compensations,” the leader of Portugal said.
Portugal’s colonial era lasted for over five centuries: Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, East Timor, and some territories in Asia were under Portuguese rule.
The decolonization of African countries and the end of the empire in Africa occurred just a few months after the Portuguese “Carnation Revolution” on April 25, 1974, which overthrew the longest-running fascist dictatorship in Europe and ushered in democracy.