The position of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, regarding the 40th anniversary of SIS, is detailed in a note published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic.
In this message, the President emphasizes that SIS “emerged at a decisive moment” for Portuguese democracy, “when democratic institutions were consolidating, and a new course for national security was being set.”
“Over these four decades, the SIS has been a significant pillar in protecting the rule of law and preventing threats that undermine national sovereignty, ensuring that Portugal remains steadfast against risks that may jeopardize the freedoms we have gained,” the note highlights.
The SIS, directed by Adélio Neiva da Cruz, is part of the Sistema de Informações da República Portuguesa (SIRP), an organization that operates under the direct authority of the Prime Minister.
Among its various missions, SIS is responsible for “producing security information to support decision-making from a preventive perspective, seeking to anticipate phenomena by foreseeing threats to collective security and preempting state protection concerning criminal investigation.”
According to the prevailing legal framework, SIS must “collect, process, and disseminate information within the scope of Internal security, in the realms of sabotage, terrorism, and espionage.”
Regarding espionage, it includes economic, technological, and scientific dimensions “and all other acts that, by their nature, may alter or destroy the democratic rule of law, including movements that promote violence, specifically those with xenophobic or allegedly religious, political, or sports inspirations.”
Furthermore, SIS must prevent transnational organized crime, “such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, money laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and the establishment of illegal immigration networks.”
