Marina Silva defends recognition of traumas of colonialism between Portugal and Brazil
“When two different reals meet: we can talk and add to what they do and also complement synergies”, said today the former Minister of the Environment of the Government of Lula da Silva, at the “Brazil Portugal Future Perspectives Conference”, which takes place between today and Friday at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the event’s organizer.
This initiative comes as part of the commemorations of the bicentennial of the independence of Brazil, which is celebrated this year.
The former Minister of the Environment of Brazil defended that it is “necessary to have a recognition of the traumas of colonialism”, referring to the losses of indigenous peoples, but also of the slavery of blacks.
On the sidelines of the event, in different statements to Lusa, Marina Silva explained that, as Brazil and Portugal are realities, in the idea of complementarity in the relations between the two countries that “something is missing” in one of the two States.
In a supplementary one, “there are two countries, nations, two cultures, but two that are in a relationship in the sense of an addition”.
This is only possible “because we have a common past, which was traumatic” but there were also good things, underlined the former minister, who is now the leader of the Sustainability Network party.
But he stressed: “These good things cannot be overestimated to underestimate the bad things. Nor should the bad things be forgotten in the name of the good things”, namely “the question of indigenous people and black people” because “modern slavery was from Portugal “.
On the other hand, “the independence process of Brazil [de Portugal há 200 anos] was not disruptive”, and it is this fact that, in his opinion, “made it possible to supplement and learn”
“So the moment we recognize the problems [do passado]it’s easier for us to supplement each other”, he said.
The two countries will complement each other socially, culturally and economically, who hopes that the bases of this relationship will not be commercial relations, but cultural ones, because those who have “good social, cultural and affective aspects can do good business”.
The conference, which started on Thursday and ends today in Lisbon, has the future of relations between Portugal and Brazil as a debate.
Former Portuguese presidents Cavaco Silva and Ramalho Eanes, as well as the former head of state of Brazil Michel Temer and the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, were among the speakers on Thursday.
The Ambassador of Brazil in Portugal, Raimundo Carreiro, was among other personalities who gave his speech at the opening session of the event, during which he read a message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Carlos França.
Closing the conference today, the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will speak.