Miguel Albuquerque today defended the preservation of historical, cultural and emotional ties between Portugal and Brazil, regardless of who holds the Brazilian presidency.
Speaking during a visit to the Dr Alfredo Nóbrega Júnior school in Camacha, the President of the Regional Government was asked about the dispute surrounding Brazil’s election results, following Lula da Silva’s victory and Flávio Bolsonaro’s call for their annulment.
“I think Brazil is a great country. We have a historical connection to Brazil, regardless of who is in power,” he said, declining to be drawn further into the dispute.
Albuquerque also highlighted the importance of the trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, saying it would benefit both sides.
“This agreement, which took years and years to be signed, is very good for Europe and very good for Brazil,” he said.
He added that he did not expect major changes in Brazil’s political direction or foreign policy, stressing the importance of maintaining relations between the two countries.
Turning to Venezuela, Albuquerque expressed hope that the country could return to democracy through free elections held in stable conditions.
Asked about María Corina Machado’s return after ten months in exile, he said he hoped it would pave the way for free elections “in the short term, within a framework of stability.”
Meanwhile, two companies based in Funchal have emerged in a Brazilian Federal Police investigation into Flávio Bolsonaro’s alleged hidden involvement in a betting business.
According to reports, Alcazar Holdings and Cathedral share the same office address in the Madeiran capital. Flávio Bolsonaro was reportedly registered as a “master user” of an Alcazar bank account, while Cathedral allegedly paid travel expenses for the politician and his family, including private jet flights.
The reports prompted Madeira’s PTP to demand explanations from the Regional Government about its knowledge of the companies’ activities and the checks carried out on their beneficial owners.
Flávio Bolsonaro denies being an owner, administrator or beneficiary of Alcazar. The allegations remain under investigation, and the reports do not establish wrongdoing by the Madeira Free Trade Zone administration.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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