This Monday in Cape Town, the President of the Republic defended that Portugal should establish itself “as one of the largest maritime countries in the world” and invest more in the navy and the armed forces in general.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa spoke at the ceremony aboard the Portuguese Navy patrol ship Setúbal, docked in Cape Town, as the first stop in the celebration of the Day of Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities in South Africa.
In his speech to the sailors of the Setubal ship and the Arpao submarine, also in Cape Town, the head of state and the supreme commander of the armed forces mentioned that the Cape of Good Hope, formerly known as Cabo das Tormentas, was nearby, and recalled the feat Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias, who doubled it in 1488.
“It was through the sea that Portugal built its identity, and it was with the fleets of that time that links were established that continue this Monday in all latitudes. It is this same sea that prompts us today to see Portugal, not as a peripheral country of Europe, but rather as a central nation of the Atlantic,” he said.
According to the President of the Republic, “Therefore, Portugal must always fight for its assertion as one of the largest maritime countries in the world, looking at the sea in a new way, continuing to elevate it day by day to the most important component. its eternal purpose and therefore the future of succeeding generations.
“It makes sense to reaffirm and repeatedly reaffirm what we all share: the urgent need for continued investment in military capabilities and equipment, as well as in assessing the role of the military in society, in their careers, in their modes of service and charter and pay system” he added.
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of National Defense, Elena Carreiras, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, General José Nunez da Fonseca, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Navy, Admiral Enrique Gouveia e Melo.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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