“This was clearly the main concern conveyed to me by the Minister. There is currently great concern and apprehension among Brazilians over this change to foreign and border laws,” stated Emídio Sousa during his first official visit to Brazil, at the Portuguese embassy in Brasília.
The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities earlier met with the Secretary-General of Brazil’s Foreign Relations, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha, at the Itamaraty Palace. Emídio Sousa aimed to convey that this law is not against Brazilian immigrants.
“What I sought to convey to the Minister is that Portugal felt the urgent need to address the immigration situation, as we have received an excessive number of people over the last five or six years and this completely unregulated process was not beneficial for those coming to Portugal or those already there,” he said, emphasizing that “from a humanistic standpoint, it was detrimental.”
“As a country, a state of law that we are, a humanistic country, a nation of immigrants that we have been and will continue to be, where social issues are taken seriously,” Portugal cannot “allow people to arrive without dignified living conditions,” emphasized Emídio Sousa.
“We want and will continue to need to welcome immigrants in Portugal,” assured the Secretary of State, noting that various sectors of the economy require immigrant labor.
“We are fully aware of this and want to continue receiving immigrants, but it cannot be in this absolutely uncontrolled manner, which led to phenomena we had eradicated years ago,” he insisted, adding that “the country clearly does not have immediate conditions to respond to this influx of people.”
Emídio Sousa emphasized that this is “not at all against Brazilian immigrants,” pointing out that the Brazilian community “has always been well received and welcomed in Portugal.”
“It is much more about defending the dignity of the immigrant,” he stated.
Regarding potential reciprocity measures by Brazil, as admitted in an interview earlier this July by the Brazilian Minister of Justice, Emídio Sousa expressed concern.
“Although I believe there is awareness among Brazilian authorities that Portugal is not solely dependent on its own will,” considering that Portugal is part of the Schengen area and thus subject to “rules that are not only Portugal’s but also those of the European Union,” he said.
“I believe Brazilian authorities are aware of this, and I hope there is full awareness and reasonableness in any measure, understanding this limitation that Portugal has,” he noted.
The visit of the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities to Brazil takes place from July 10 to 21, covering five cities over 12 days.
He has already visited Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Brasília, with upcoming stops in Salvador and Recife, aiming to strengthen cultural, institutional ties and connections with Portuguese communities.
The foreigner law, approved on Wednesday, changes the entry of Lusophone citizens into Portugal, requiring them to apply for a work or residence visa from their home country to obtain residence authorization.
Currently, for Timorese and Brazilians, entry to Portugal is possible as tourists without a visa, later applying for residence authorization. Other community citizens must present tourist visas upon entry and subsequently apply for residence authorizations.
If this law is enacted by the President of the Republic, all CPLP citizens will need a visa to enter Portugal, even for tourism (excluding Timorese and Brazilians).
