In a vote of condolence, presented by the PS and unanimously approved, it was emphasized that Teresa Rita Lopes published an “extensive body of work in poetry, essays, and theater” and was one of the “foremost experts on the works of Fernando Pessoa.”
Born in Faro in 1937, Teresa Rita Lopes’s connection to her birthplace is described as “a constant in her life and work,” with the Algarve featured in books such as ‘O Sul dos Meus Sonhos’ and in the cultural institution ‘Casa Álvaro de Campos’ in Tavira, where, in 2011, she “led and promoted the ‘I International Meeting — Álvaro de Campos, the engineer of Tavira.'”
The parliament highlights that between 1968 and 1982, Teresa Rita Lopes lived in Paris, where she defended her doctoral thesis on Fernando Pessoa and taught at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, later becoming a full professor at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
“Since 1965, her research has particularly focused on Fernando Pessoa, leading the IEMO – Interdisciplinary Group of Pessoa and Modernist Studies since 1987,” the parliament notes, adding that Teresa Rita Lopes was also renowned as a writer, winning awards in poetry, drama, and essays, such as the Pen Club.
“Thus, the Assembly of the Republic, meeting in plenary session, expresses its sorrow for the passing of Teresa Rita Lopes, whose academic and literary work made a significant impact nationally and internationally, extending heartfelt condolences to her family and friends,” reads the vote of condolence.
During this voting period, the Assembly of the Republic also unanimously approved another vote of condolence, presented by Livre, for the death of writer and linguist Fernando Venâncio, highlighting his “enormous legacy of reflection and study on Portuguese, its origins, periods, styles, and authors.”
“Fernando Venâncio devoted several years to researching a wide range of language and literature topics, such as the Portuguese rural novel, literary translation, contemporary chronicles, Fernão Mendes Pinto, Luís de Camões, Machado de Assis, Eça de Queirós, and José Saramago,” it states.
Emphasizing that Fernando Venâncio “never abandoned writing,” the Assembly of the Republic notes that with his work ‘Assim Nasceu uma Língua — Sobre as Origens do Português,’ published in 2019, the linguist made “one of the most valuable contributions to the knowledge and dissemination of the most remote origins of Portuguese.”
“Thus, the Assembly of the Republic expresses its profound condolences for the passing of Fernando Venâncio and pays tribute to this linguistic and literary reference who always believed in the past and future of the Portuguese language,” it reads.
