Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
1976-2026 | Azores celebrate 50 Years of Constitutional Autonomy Book | Bag of Kisses | By Melanie Pereira April 25th |  “Dia da Liberdade” celebrated nationwide and across the diaspora Community | Justice Department moves to revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award
 

1976-2026 | Azores celebrate 50 Years of Constitutional Autonomy – Azores 

The Autonomous Region of the Azores is preparing for a historic year of celebrations in 2026 to mark the 50th anniversary of its Constitutional Autonomy. This milestone underscores five decades of self-governance, regional identity, and transatlantic connection.  The commemorations will culminate on September 8, 2026, marking the formal implementation of autonomy under the Constitution of […]

Book | Bag of Kisses | By Melanie Pereira – Editor’s Note

For a little girl whose daddy is a fisherman in the #1 fishing port in the world, goodbyes are never easy. But before he leaves for sea, her parents share a special secret―a magical bag of kisses that keeps their love close, no matter how far the waves carry him. As the days pass and […]

April 25th |  “Dia da Liberdade” celebrated nationwide and across the diaspora – Portugal

The Portuguese nation commemorates today the 52nd anniversary of the Carnation Revolution transition to democracy, with a nationwide program of official ceremonies, public demonstrations, and cultural events. The celebrations expanded abroad, connecting the country to its global diaspora, particularly in the United States. At the center of the national commemorations will be the traditional formal […]

Community | Justice Department moves to revoke citizenship for naturalized immigrants – Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Justice is moving to accelerate efforts to revoke the citizenship of certain naturalized Americans, targeting cases where individuals are suspected of having obtained citizenship through fraud or misrepresentation. Citizenship is considered one of the most secure legal statuses in the United States. Therefore, the overall impact of such measures is likely […]

Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award – New York, NY

Portuguese writer João Pedro Vala has been awarded a prestigious PEN/O. Henry Award for his short story “Inês,” a recognition widely regarded as one of the highest honors in English-language short fiction. The first Portuguese author to receive that distinction, his short story ‘Inês’ was selected for inclusion in the PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories anthology. […]

Book | Three Stories of Forgetting | By Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida – Editor’s  Note

22 December 2025

Three men haunt these pages. Perhaps they are tormented ghosts who cannot find rest. All three have been expelled in some way, sent on solitary journeys into the night. Celestino, an old slave trader, returns to the solitude of his home and garden after a life of horrors. Boa Morte da Silva, an Angolan who […]

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Posted in Books, Featured, Portugal, World

Update | Portuguese national identified as suspect in the killings at Brown and MIT – Boston, MA

19 December 2025

In a major development, law-enforcement officials have publicly identified the suspect in the killings at Brown University and MIT’s Professor Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, as Cláudio Neves Valente, 48, a Portuguese national from Torres Novas, Portugal. Authorities said Valente was later found dead in Salem, New Hampshire, on Thursday, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Professor […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, People, Portugal, World

Community | Portuguese physicist Nuno Loureiro fatally shot in Brookline – Massachusetts

16 December 2025

Portuguese physicist Nuno F. Gomes Loureiro, 47, a distinguished professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was fatally shot at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts, late on the evening of Monday, December 15. Authorities confirmed that Loureiro, originally from Viseu, Portugal, was found with multiple […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, People, Portugal, World

Portugal Named “Economy of the Year 2025” by The Economist – London, UK

08 December 2025

Portugal has been selected by the British magazine The Economist as the “Economy of the Year” for 2025, placing the country at the top of a ranking of the world’s 36 richest economies   Titled “Which economy did best in 2025?”,  the magazine highlighted Portugal’s strong blend of macroeconomic indicators, including solid GDP growth, low inflation, […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, Portugal, World

Update | Airlines begin cancellations ahead of December 11 general strike – Portugal

06 December 2025

Travelers heading to or from Portugal on December 11, 2025, should brace for widespread flight cancellations and major delays, as a nationwide general strike is set to disrupt operations at all major airports and across public services. The stoppage, called by Portugal’s main trade-union confederations in protest over proposed labor-law reforms, is expected to affect […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Madeira, Portugal, Travel, World

Project Homecoming | Incentives offered for voluntary self-deportation – DHS

05 December 2025

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today, December 5, reaffirmed its commitment to reducing undocumented immigration through voluntary departure mechanisms, unveiling the full scope of its “self-deportation” program under Project Homecoming. Under this initiative, undocumented immigrants who choose to depart the United States voluntarily using the CBP Home mobile app will receive a USD$1,000 exit […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, World