The presence of U.S. military aircraft on Terceira in the Azores demands immediate and urgent clarification from the PSD/CDS Government, as stated in a communiqué from the Communist Party.
The focus is on over a dozen U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft at Lajes Air Base, a facility used by the United States under a cooperation agreement, with the reason for their presence not fully explained.
The Communist Party condemns the potential use of Lajes Base by the U.S. for escalating aggression towards Iran and warns against Portugal’s involvement in these actions, criticizing the PSD/CDS government’s alignment with imperialist policies.
The communists argue that this base has been used as a “true aircraft carrier” in the Atlantic for U.S. military actions, including the Gulf War (1990), the invasion of Afghanistan (2001), and the invasion of Iraq (2003). They reaffirm their stance against foreign military bases in Portugal and the use of Portuguese territory for interventions against other nations.
Under the leadership of Paulo Raimundo, the party deems it very serious that the PSD/CDS Government, rather than advocating for peace and political solutions per the Portuguese Constitution, aligns with militarism and warfare.
Opposing the militaristic escalation, the Communist Party underscores the necessity of advancing the struggle for national sovereignty and independence, as well as peace and solidarity with peoples attacked by imperialism.
Today, the Socialist Party also sought clarification from the government on this situation.
Francisco César, deputy and leader of PS/Açores, expressed the PS’s desire to know if the Portuguese government was aware of this movement, if it had been notified by the American authorities, and if it intends, as customary, to inform the major national political parties and the public about the movement’s purpose and cause.
César noted the presence of 18 such aircraft in the archipelago, 12 stationed at the facility and another six airborne, a situation “known to the entire population” due to constant activity.
Last Friday, reports confirmed that 12 air refueling aircraft were at the facility.
An inquiry to the U.S. Department of Defense regarding the aircraft presence at Lajes revealed only that the U.S. European Command regularly hosts U.S. military aircraft and personnel temporarily as per base access and overflight agreements with allies and partners.
“Beyond this, we have nothing more to share,” the department added.
Further inquiries were made regarding whether such a number of aircraft is usual at Lajes and if it is related to the Middle East situation, as well as whether increased military aircraft activity is anticipated.
Previous queries on this issue, including potential military activity intensification at Lajes due to the Middle East situation, returned the statement that there were no announced changes at that time.
