The President of the Republic said on Tuesday that Portugal must apologize, but above all it must take full responsibility for exploitation and slavery during the colonial period.
This position was taken by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in his speech at the commemorative meeting dedicated to the 49th anniversary of April 25 in the Assembly of the Republic, on the welcoming meeting of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, which took place immediately before which, in his opinion, “makes sense” because Brazil “was a pioneer in decolonization”.
“It also helps us look back at Brazil. But it would also be possible with respect to all colonization and decolonization and take full responsibility for what we have done,” he said.
“It’s not just an apology – no doubt a due one – for what we’ve done, because sometimes it’s the easiest thing to apologize, you apologize, turn your back, and it’s done. No, it takes responsibility for the future of what we did in the past, good and bad,” he defended.
According to Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the colonization of Brazil also had positive factors: “language, culture, the unity of the Brazilian territory”.
“On the bad side, the exploitation of indigenous peoples, condemned by António Vieira, slavery, sacrificing the interests of Brazil and Brazilians,” he pointed out.
“The worst of our presence, which we must assume just as we assumed the best of this presence. And the same can be said for the best and the worst, the worst and the best of our presence in the empire throughout colonization.” he added.