The Embassy of Brazil in Lisbon celebrated on September 7th the 204th anniversary of Brazil's Independence with a reception at the Official Residence of Ambassador Raimundo Carreiro and ambassador's wife Maria José de Ávila. The event featured the presence of Portuguese and Brazilian authorities, representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Luso-Brazilian community and institutional guests, including former president of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The ceremony included the performance of the national anthems by the Armada Band and a speech by the ambassador, followed by a social gathering.
The Foundation for Foreign Trade and International Relations (FUNCEX) was represented by its executive director, Abdul Temporário, who participated on behalf of the president of the institution, Antonio Carlos da Silveira Pinheiro. FUNCEX's presence at the gathering highlighted the economic and business dimension of the relations between the two countries, at a time of expansion of the Foundation's activities in Europe through FUNCEX Europa.
In an interview, Abdul Temporário stated that Portugal occupies a strategic position as the gateway to Europe and to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), emphasizing that FUNCEX's mission is to facilitate rapprochement and create bridges for Brazilian businesses. The executive director also mentioned the Foundation's attention to technological and industrial priorities, including the use of artificial intelligence in internationalization processes and foreign trade data analysis.
In his speech, Ambassador Raimundo Carreiro highlighted the bicentenary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and mentioned the high-level visits made in recent months, including President Lula's visit to Lisbon. The diplomat noted that Brazilians represent approximately 5% of Portugal's population and announced the new GOL airline route connecting Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon, in addition to the expansion of the Bank of Brazil's presence in the country. The agreement between Mercosur and the European Union was classified as a historic milestone that opens Portugal access to a market of approximately 272 million consumers.
