The President of the Republic spent the afternoon of the penultimate day of his visit to the Azores in the fishing village of Rabo de Peixe, on São Miguel island. After a brief stop at the Church of Bom Jesus, he engaged with a significant segment of the local population: the fishermen.
Aboard a fishing boat, he quickly took control of the vessel and led the group on a short trip through the ocean surrounding the Azorean island.
Immersing himself in local life, he strolled through the village streets, embracing and greeting almost everyone he encountered. The reaction was one of astonishment at the presence of the head of state, but there were locals who went to the extreme of showing reverence, with one person bowing multiple times and kissing the President’s hand.
In the streets of Rabo de Peixe, Marcelo made the first of two stops at local cafes. At the ‘snack-bar’ Cais do Porto, he sat at the counter with several local young people, engaging in a lengthy conversation focused mainly on football.
A supporter of Braga, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa exchanged opinions with young fans of other major Portuguese football clubs, eventually showing interest in a young footballer from a regional club, who spoke about the achievements of his budding career.
Accompanying the scene, the counter was lined with dozens of small beers (‘minis’) from a well-known national brand, which, at the President’s request, were replaced with bottles of São Miguel’s local beer.
The initial surprise of his presence soon gave way to a more relaxed atmosphere, though a newly arrived customer expressed astonishment by saying, “The President must be half-crazy to come here.”
To ensure that it wasn’t just Cais do Porto that received the attention of the state’s highest figure, Marcelo also sat at the table of ‘snack-bar’ O Telmo with José Manuel Bolieiro and the president of the Rabo de Peixe Parish Council, offering more greetings to those entering.
In the end, there was even a physical memento of the lively afternoon spent in the fishing village: a scarf from Clube Desportivo de Rabo de Peixe, which Marcelo wore around his neck as he returned to the official vehicle.
The visit concluded the afternoon in São Miguel on the third day of the President’s trip to the Azores, which in the morning also included a stop on Graciosa Island. This Sunday, visits to Santa Maria and São Jorge are scheduled to conclude the trip to the archipelago.
