Portuguese government dismissed closure news in March as “speculation”
News that the US consulate in the Azores – the oldest US consulate in continuous operation – is almost certain to close, as a result of the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures, has been further corroborated by The New York Times today, following the paper’s access to an internal State Department memo.
In total, the US government is considering closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates – “reducing the north American presence in almost all continents” of the globe. The majority of the consulates are in Europe, while six of the embassies are in Africa, as are diplomatic missions in the Central African Republic, Eritrea and South Sudan.
Just as the news in March suggested, closures in Europe are to include European embassies (Luxembourg and Malta) and consulates in France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Bosnia/ Herzegovina, the United Kingdom, South Africa, South Korea, and Portugal (Ponta Delgada, in the Azores).The document proposes that the closed embassies’ duties be covered by outposts in neighboring countries, reports CNN.
Back in March, the Portuguese government, through the ministry of foreign affairs, claimed to have “no knowledge” of the US intentions. Today, according to SIC Notícias, the position appears not to have changed… ND
Source: Diário de Notícias/ SIC Notícias
