Portugal should apologise, confront for its past role in slave trade, says president

Portugal should apologise and take responsibility for its past role in the transatlantic slave trade, said its president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The European nation was a colonial power in Brazil, several countries in Africa and some parts of India.

Reuters
Lisbon,UPDATED: Apr 26, 2023 07:51 IST

By Reuters: Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Tuesday (local time) his country should apologise and take responsibility for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, the first time a leader of the southern European nation has suggested such a national apology.

From the 15th to the 19th century, six million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported across the Atlantic by Portuguese vessels and sold into slavery, primarily to Brazil. But so far, Portugal has rarely commented on its past and little is taught about its role in slavery in schools.

Rather, the country's colonial era, which saw countries including Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor as well as parts of India subjected to Portuguese rule, is often perceived as a source of pride by most Portuguese.

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Brazil's human rights minister, Silvio Almeida, said Rebelo de Sousa took an "extremely important" step.

"We continue to suffer in Brazil the effects of a legacy of slavery," Almeida said in a statement. "Recognising the exploitation of millions of enslaved people for more than 300 years is a step towards moving towards a less unequal society."

More:
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/portugal-national-apologise-role-slavery-trade-president-2364671-2023-04-26