Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
Teolinda Gersão | Narrative talent transcending literary boundaries Social Media | Parliament proposes bill requiring parental consent for minors Update | Persistent severe downpouring forces evacuations Election’26 | Diaspora vote count shows strong support for André Ventura Book | An Azorean Family
 

Teolinda Gersão | Narrative talent transcending literary boundaries – Interview

By Maria Duran On the 29th of October, 2025, Portuguese writer Teolinda Gersão became a second-time winner of the APE-DGLAB Romance and Novel Grand Prize. Autobiografia não escrita de Martha Freud (2024), [The Unwritten Autobiography of Martha Freud], published by Porto Editora, earned her the 43rd edition of the award, organized by the Portuguese Writers […]

Social Media | Parliament proposes bill requiring parental consent for minors – Portugal

Portugal’s parliament has approved legislation that would restrict minors’ access to social media platforms by requiring parental authorization for users under the age of 16, making it one of Europe’s most concrete legislative steps toward regulating youth activity online. The proposal, introduced by the Social Democratic Party (PSD), mandates explicit, verified parental consent for minors […]

Update | Persistent severe downpouring forces evacuations – Portugal

Heavy and persistent rainfall continues to affect mainland Portugal as successive Atlantic systems prolong saturated ground conditions and heighten flood risk across several regions, forcing evacuations. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro described the extreme weather episodes as a “devastating crisis” affecting communities across the country while emphasizing that emergency coordination and recovery efforts continue nationwide. Mário […]

Election’26 | Diaspora vote count shows strong support for André Ventura – Portugal

Portugal’s presidential runoff election provisional vote count indicates that Chega candidate André Ventura secured the largest share of votes cast by Portuguese citizens living abroad. As final counts are still being compiled from abroad, Ventura has received approximately 51.88% of the diaspora vote, compared with 48.12% for Seguro. These figures reflect global voting and remain […]

Book | An Azorean Family’s History: Our Faria and Moitoso Roots | By Keith Tavares – Editor’s Note

Genealogical research is a journey into the past, uncovering the stories and connections that define our heritage. For Keith Daniel Tavares, this journey explored his Faria and Moitoso ancestors, unearthing the rich history and legacy that has shaped his family. An Azorean Family’s History delves into the significant findings of Keith Tavares’ genealogical research, highlighting […]

Opinion | Portugal legislative elections expectations – Len Port

11 May 2025

By Len Port Although somewhat overshadowed this week by the election of a new pope in Rome, Portugal’s politicians are campaigning for votes in the snap legislative elections on Sunday, 18 May. There is an inevitability in the national election in that most votes will go to the two centrist parties: the centre-right AD Democratic […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, Uncategorized, World

Religion | Portuguese nation greets Leo XIV new pope elect – Portugal

09 May 2025

The election of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, marks a significant moment in the Catholic Church, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has extended heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, expressing “profound joy” for himself and the Portuguese people. In an official statement, he welcomed the new pontiff, emphasizing the shared values and […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Portugal, Religion, World

Immigration | Thousands of undocumented migrants to be repatriated – Portugal

07 May 2025

Portugal is currently undertaking measures to expel over 18,000 undocumented migrants, the incumbent caretaker Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced early in May. The initiative was detailed by Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro, who stated that the government would begin issuing expulsion notices starting this week. The initial phase involves notifying around 4,500 individuals, […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, World

May 5th | World Portuguese Language Day – Portugal

04 May 2025

World Portuguese Language Day is celebrated annually on May 5th, in about 50 countries, to honor the global significance of the Portuguese language and the diverse cultures of Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries. On this day, various cultural events and activities are organized worldwide to raise awareness of the importance of Portuguese as a global language and […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, Portugal, World

Opinion | Four Portuguese cardinals are in contention for the papacy | Len Port

01 May 2025

There is the intriguing possibility that a Portuguese, or at least a Portuguese-speaking, cardinal will succeed Pope Francis as the global head of the Catholic Church. This suggestion follows the astonishing power cut across Portugal and Spain, which prompted widespread speculation about a Russian cyber-attack, or even Armageddon—the end-of-the-world prophecy described in the Book of […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Portugal, Religion, World

Book | Slavery and Religious Conversion in Portugal’s Indian Empire, 1500-1700 | By Stephanie Hassel – Editor’s Note

29 April 2025

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, enslaved Africans and Asians were part of the larger Portuguese project of building and maintaining a Catholic empire in the Indian Ocean. Both the Church and the Crown influenced the owner-slave relationship across households, the most basic organizational unit of power over the populace. Responsible for their enslaved dependents’ […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, Portugal, Religion, World