A FAR-right political party’s proposal to charge Portugal’s president with treason for supporting slavery reparations has been dismissed.
The proposal by the country’s conservative right-wing Chega political party was dismissed by Portugal’s parliament on Wednesday.
Last month, the president, Macelo Rebelo de Sousa, made comments on reparations and suggested his country could use several methods to pay reparations, including cancelling the debts of former colonies.
Despite the comments from the president, Portugal’s government rejected the idea of paying reparations for its role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
“Parties are free to propose whatever they want,” Rebelo de Sousa said, adding it was “part of democracy”.
The president’s comments sparked heavy criticism from right-wing parties, including Chega, who suggested a criminal lawsuit against the president for treason, according to Reuters.
“The president’s statements represent a profound betrayal of our history,” Chega’s leader Andre Ventura told parliament.
All parties said they would not support the proposal by Chega – which is Portugal’s third-largest political party – and without the backing the case cannot progress.
Slavery
Between the 15th and 19th century, over six million Africans were forced into slavery and transported across the Atlantic by Portuguese ships to work on plantations mainly in Brazil.
According to reports, Portugal trafficked more African people than any other European country.
African countries, Angola and Mozambique were subjected to Portuguese rule during the colonial era.
In April 2023, the president also said Portugal should apologise for its role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
It was the first time any Portuguese leader had suggested a national apology should be made.
Speaking about Brazil’s history recently, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said the colonisation of Brazil led to the “exploitation of Indigenous people.”
“(But) on the bad side, the exploitation of Indigenous people… slavery, the sacrifice of the interests of Brazil and Brazilians,” he said.
Brazil gained independence from Portugal in 1822.
Other European countries have made some apologies for slavery.
In December 2022, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologised on behalf of his government for the Netherlands’ role in slavery and the slave trade.
