"There is indeed some discomfort. Brazil has had the courage to express this same discomfort. We haven't said anything so far, but it's clear that we are following the situation's developments very closely," said João Lourenço in an interview with TVI/CNN Portugal.
João Lourenço acknowledged Portugal's sovereignty in immigration matters: "You only welcome into your home who you want. Portugal itself is a country of citizens who emigrate a lot, and that's not new."
"Therefore, the Portuguese have emigrated all over the world, and the least we demand is that Portugal not treat the immigrants who chose Portugal as a destination to make their lives worse than they were treated in the countries that welcomed them over the years," he emphasized.
The President, who is on a three-day official visit to Portugal at the end of this week, considered that "we shouldn't stray too far from international practice in terms of immigration."
"If we consider that today there are some, tomorrow there will be others. Or in the past there were others. Portugal itself is a country of citizens who emigrate a lot. And that's not new. Therefore, Portugal's past is closely linked to emigration to the world," he added.
"Therefore, this is, very generally, the appeal we make to Portugal because, generally speaking, with rare exceptions, all countries have immigrants," he emphasized.
When asked if he will address the issue of the law approved in the institutional contacts he will hold in Portugal, João Lourenço responded affirmatively.
"I think so. We have, not just us, Angola, we have immigrants in Portugal, but even in my current role as acting president of the African Union, I have to speak for Africans in general. And there are many Africans of different nationalities who have chosen Portugal," he emphasized.
Also asked whether this issue could lead to the collapse of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), the President said it was the obligation of the organization's member states, "including Portugal, to do everything possible to prevent this from happening."
"Therefore, let us all work together, including Portugal, to prevent the collapse of this great community project that is the CPLP," he concluded.
