They assault the consulate of Portugal in Rio de Janeiro and hold the consul hostage
The official residence of the consul of Portugal in Rio de Janeiro, the seat of the Consulate, was robbed and diplomat Luís Gaspar da Silva and his family were taken hostage. “They are traumatized.”
“They are physically fine (…), obviously quite traumatized, as we all would be, but they are fine. Everything is fine with the consul’s family and there is nothing to report, either with the consul’s family or with the employees,” he said to Lusa the vice-consul in Rio de Janeiro.
João Marco de Deus said that the robbery took place at 2 am on Saturday (5 am in mainland Portugal) and that the consul’s family and employees were surprised by the criminals.
According to the newspaper “O Globo”, the Civil Police has already been on the spot to carry out investigations and is now investigating the case.
To police officers, witnesses said that the robbers didn’t know that the consulate worked there., believing it to be just a mansion.
According to the testimony of a neighbor, quoted by the newspaper “O Globo”, all the hostages were lolhos in one of the rooms of the residence under the surveillance of two of the assailants for about 50 minutes.
The deputy consul in Rio de Janeiro confirmed that the criminals took personal belongings of the consul and family and employees.
MNE confirms “armed robbery”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs assured Lusa that the Portuguese consul general in Rio de Janeiro and his family “are doing well”, after having been eliminated from an “armed robbery” at his official residence, this Saturday at dawn.
“I confirm that unfortunately there was today [sábado] an armed robbery (…) to the residence of our consul general in Rio de Janeiro, of which he was the victim of the consul general and his family, fortunately without personal consequences,” stated Augusto Santos Silva.
“There was neither violence nor injuries, but several personal belongings were stolen the ambassador, who is our consul general in Rio de Janeiro,” added the minister.
“I spoke to the consul general about half an hour ago [ao final de noite] and therefore I can confirm that he is fine and that unfortunately not this assault and that the assault was at gunpoint, by a group of men, and as a result there is the lament or theft of various goods,” he reiterated.
“The consul general and his family are doing well, they have recovered from the hardship they went through” and now the “Brazilian police are already taking care of the incident and trying to find the culprits”, said Augusto Santos Silva.
“The Brazilian police have already carried out the first inquiries, our consul is collaborating with the police and let us now hope that they carry out the necessary steps and investigations”, concludes the minister.
The Portuguese ambassador in Brasília, Luís Faro Ramos, also told Lusa that the consul and his family were released and “are doing well”.