Portuguese American Journal

Azores: President José Bolieiro greets Washington – Ponta Delgada

The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, emphasized the importance of strengthening the cooperation of the “friendly, close and collaborative relationship” with the United States of America.

President Bolieiro made the remarks in Ponta Delgada, on Tuesday, after a hearing with the Consul of the United States of America in the Azores, Kathryn Ryan Hammond.

In his remarks, he stressed the importance of bilateral relations in the context of the “recognized strategic position the Azores in the perspective the United States have of world geography.”

He also expressed the appreciation of the Azorean immigrant community in the United States which has always perceived as being well accepted by “a friendly and a truly welcoming country.”

President José Manuel Bolieiro

 “On this side of the Atlantic, we also have had the opportunity to recognize the relationship of trust and hope, either through Portugal or through the Autonomous Region of the Azores,” he said.

For President Bolieiro, who took office as President of the Government of the Azores, following the regional elections held on October 2020, besides the importance of strengthening the mutual collaboration, he praized with satisfaction the openness and cooperation of the United States through the current transition in the leadership of the Autonomous Region of the Azores as a guarantee of bilateral stability.

“All opportunities for improving and strengthening the cooperation between Portugal and the United States, which benefits the Autonomous Region of the Azores, always interests me and the Government,” he said.

President José Manuel Bolieiro concluded his remarks by saying that a bilateral relationship, built on trust and collaboration, can “find platforms of understanding between countries that are friends and a Region that has had the honor and recognition of being home to the oldest consulate of the United States in the world.”

Source: GaCS with PAJ/Photos by Miguel Machado

José Manuel Bolieiro, 55, is the leader of the Social Democrat Party (PSD) in the Azores. He replaced Vasco Cordeiro, the leader of the Socialist Party (PS) in the Region in the regional elections held on October 2020.

A career politician, he graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra and served as Mayor of Ponta Delgada city from 2012 to 2020. He was assistant to the Regional Under-Secretary for Social Communication (1989-1995); legal advisor to the President of the Regional Government of the Azores (1996); deputy to the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores (1998-2009), exercising the functions of President of the Parliamentary Group PSD and chairman of the Permanent Commission for General Policy. He was also president of the Municipal Assembly of Povoação (2002-2009) and vice-president of the Municipality of Ponta Delgada (2009-2012).

The Azores (population 250,000) is a region of Portugal composed of nine islands. The archipelago discovered by Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, became an Autonomous Region of Portugal in 1976. The government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores includes the Legislative Assembly, composed of 57 elected deputies, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term; the Regional Government and Presidency, with parliamentary legitimacy, composed of a President, a Vice-President and seven Regional Secretaries responsible for the Regional Government executive operations. The Autonomous Region of the Azores is represented in the Council of Ministers of the Central Government by a representative appointed by the President of Portugal. According to the latest US census over 1.3 million individuals of Portuguese descent live in the United States, the majority with roots in the Azores.

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