“This letter aims to show that a group of Azorean people do not wish to see their region serve, even involuntarily, as an instrument in actions that could exacerbate humanitarian crises or violate international peace and human rights commitments,” the letter reads, addressed to both political and military leaders at regional and national levels, with 131 signatures.
The signatories alert to the “large-scale humanitarian crisis” faced by the Palestinian people and argue that even after a ceasefire was communicated in Gaza, Portugal’s indirect involvement in aircraft or arms transport operations to Israel should be “subject to complete transparency and public scrutiny.”
The issue involves a stopover in April at the Lajes Base on Terceira Island by three F-35 aircraft sold by the United States to Israel.
This stopover reportedly occurred without prior communication to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, a “procedural failure” for which the ministry said it wants to determine responsibility.
The signers request clarification on “the identification of the command chain responsible for approving and communicating these operations, including the involved Portuguese entities” and on “the communication and cooperation protocols in effect between Portugal, the Azores, and the United States under the Lajes Base Agreement (or equivalent document).”
Should the alleged procedural failure stem from an omission by American authorities, they argue that the situation should be “formally recognized and communicated” to the Portuguese Parliament and the Azorean Legislative Assembly, “as it questions aspects of national sovereignty and regional autonomy.”
“We request an investigation into this situation, accompanied by a public statement as soon as possible. We propose that these statements be released within 15 days,” they demand.
The signatories call for “open dialogue” and “transparency regarding the Azorean Government’s stance on this and other humanitarian crises.”
“Various factors indicate the political and economic instability of the United States, which also underscores the importance of discussing our relations with this country, especially military ones. We hope this letter serves as a gateway for [a] constructive debate about the transparency and regularity with which these issues are communicated to residents in this region,” they emphasize.
The letter, signed by 131 people, was addressed to the president of the Azorean Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, the president of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Luís Garcia, the prime minister, Luís Montenegro, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel.
It was also directed to the commander of Air Base number 4, Colonel João Ricardo Campos da Silva, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General João Cartaxo Alves, and the Chief of the Armed Forces Staff, General José Nunes da Fonseca.
Among the signatories are residents from almost all the islands of the Azores and several parts of the mainland.
Signatories include the sole deputy of the Left Bloc in the Azores, António Lima, former BE deputy Alexandra Manes, former PCP deputy Aníbal Pires, and other activists from the BE and PCP.
Other signatories include union leader Liberato Fernandes and businesswoman Sónia Borges de Sousa.
