It was an announcement that had been expected since May 30, when it became known that the Brazilian government had sent an official request to Portugal for the temporary transfer of the heart of D. Pedro IV, within the framework of the bicentennial events. of the independence of Brazil. This Wednesday, Rui Moreira, mayor of Porto, arrived at the Salão Nobre dos Paços do Concelho, next to the portrait of D. Pedro, and next to the pulpit he placed a wooden box with the five keys that guard the heart, deposited in the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa, to say that authorizes the transport of what it considers “the treasure of the city”.
Rui Moreira began by explaining that after the request, concerns arose about the vulnerability of transferring the heart to Brazil, which is why he contacted the President of the Republic and the Rector of the University of Porto and decided to request an expert report from the Institute of Legal Medicine. to assess the conditions of the heart, in order to assess its condition and whether it could be effectively transported.
The Institute of Legal Medicine formed a team of five expertsin which a group of researchers from the University of Porto participated, specifically from the Faculty of Medicine and the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), in the areas of anatomy, legal medicine, genetics and forensic biology, and carried out a exam of more than five hours on May 31.
“The expert report is not yet fully concluded, but they have already assured us that the heart can be temporarily transferred to Brazil, subject to the requirement of transport in a pressurized environment,” revealed Rui Moreira, who added that he will accompany the transportation, provided by the Brazilian Air Forcehighlighting that all the courses associated with this operation will be in charge of Brazil.
“I will make sure that the container that contains the heart is properly sealed, as well as a set of legal guarantees that must be presented to the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since a State commitment between the two countries will be required.”
The box with the keys that keep the heart of D. Pedro, usually kept in the secretariat of the Mayor of Porto
Despite not knowing exactly how long the heart will remain in Brazil, the mayor of Porto believes that “He will not stay for more than a year” and considers it “very likely” that he will arrive on the other side of the Atlantic in September. “There will be a celebration in Brasilia on September 8 and the President of the Republic will be present and, certainly, on that date the heart will already be there.”
Asked about the risk associated with the trip, Rui Moreira recalls that “there are no trips without risks” and stresses that air accidents “are rare”. “We are not going to carry our hearts in a container or in the mayor’s suitcase. These things are not new there are exhibitions that travel to various museums by plane, but there are always risks. Still, prudence is warranted.”
As for the fact that the matter is being discussed with the municipal executive, the independent is not afraid of dissenting opinions. “This is a competition of mine that I understand that I must take to the executive, but I am not afraid of anything. I am sure that the city will understand that this is the best way to associate ourselves with the independence of Brazil.”
Before dying, on September 24, 1834, King Pedro IV expressed, together with Empress D. Amélia, the wish that his heart be delivered to Porto as proof of recognition for the sacrifices of the people of Porto during the Siege of Porto (1832). – 1833) and the intense relationship he created with the city. It was decided that the heart of the king would be deposited in the presbytery of the Church of Lapa, in a sarcophagus protected by five keys, which are usually found in the desk of the mayor of Porto.
Source: Observadora
