Former Secretary of State Says Portuguese-Brazilian Twins’ Citizenship Process Was ‘Normal and Transparent’

Former Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities Berta Nunes said Friday that the granting of citizenship to the twins treated at the Santa Maria hospital “happened in a normal and transparent way” and denied that the process was rushed.

During a nearly two-hour hearing before the parliamentary commission investigating the case of the Portuguese-Brazilian twins who received the drug Zolgensma, Berta Nunes said that on October 31, 2019, a few days after taking office, “she entered the office of the Secretariat of State with a letter addressed to his chief of staff,” with a copy of another letter sent that same day to the chief of staff of the Prime Minister “by the head of the Civil Chamber of the President of the Republic.

The former government official said her chief of staff referred him to the Directorate General of Consular Affairs and Portuguese Communities (DGACCP), which she said was the “correct procedure” and “almost a routine procedure.”

The DGACCP will inform the consulate in São Paulo and “in this case they will probably not do anything more,” especially because “the family of these twins has already been in contact with the hospital,” he added, arguing that it is the state’s responsibility to provide information on the rights of Portuguese citizens abroad.

“I think this whole process went smoothly and transparently. […] “I did not find any signs of any violations,” he emphasized.

Berta Nunez also said she became aware of the case late last year when it was reported in the media.

“I wouldn’t have to do anything. Even if I had known about the situation, I don’t see how I could have intervened,” he said, adding: “In this case, we didn’t do anything because there was nothing to do, everything had already been done, the twins already had citizenship cards.”

The former Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities also said the letter was used “for purposes that were considered convenient”, that “nothing was asked of her” and that “her office received messages of this type quite often”.

“There were often more informal interactions with Maria João Ruela. [assessora do Presidente da República para os assuntos sociais]who was the one who established contact with us. We were doing things to protect Portuguese citizens abroad within our capabilities,” he said, noting that this was “the duty and competence” of the position he held.

Berta Nunes also felt it “didn’t make much sense” to send it to her office “except if they are Portuguese citizens abroad” to monitor the situation.

The former governor and deputy of the PS said that the son of the President of the Republic never spoke to her about the matter, nor did the consul, but that she had contacts “two or three times” with Nuno Rebelo de Sousa because he headed the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce of São Paulo.

Berta Nunes also said that the process of obtaining citizenship is “not even fast,” but “quite lengthy.”

“Making an appointment in April to pay the fees in July and only in September to send it to the Institute of Registers and Notaries does not seem like a quick process for registering a birth and receiving a first citizen card. […] “Registration is the right and duty of a citizen, we cannot wait six months, it seems excessive to me,” he said.

Berta Nunes also noted that the external data collection service for issuing the citizen card is planned and will cost 50 euros, while the registration and document are free, and that “consulates have autonomy in organizing their work within the framework of legal norms.”

The former ruler also stressed that Portuguese citizens living abroad “have the same rights” as citizens living in Portugal, “especially in terms of access to social networks,” while remembering, however, that “there are always inequalities.”

Berta Nunez also said that she knew and followed another similar case that happened to a Canadian resident with the same health problem, but she does not know the outcome.