In conversation with journalists, José Ludovice explained that its attractiveness has to do with the fact that in recent years “service to large communities has intensified.”
The Portuguese ambassador to Argentina, José Ludovice, asked this Saturday for more support from the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities to address the increase in this community in the country, due largely to Sephardic Jews who requested Portuguese nationality.
“We will maintain this presence and reinforce it. We need more support from the Secretary of State for Communities,” said the ambassador.
In a conversation with journalists on the sidelines of the ceremony, José Ludovice explained that his call is related to the fact that in recent years “service to large communities has intensified.”
“In addition to the Portuguese community, there are Sephardic Jews who acquired Portuguese nationality. “Argentina has the second largest Jewish community on the American continent, after the United States,” and a Portuguese passport is an open door to Europe, he highlighted.
The increase in requests for services from the consular section forced a resizing on new fronts, which requires a “significant reinforcement of resources and consular offerings.”
Regarding the necessary reinforcements, the ambassador clarified that he was referring to consular officials, to increase response capacity. “But we trust that we will have a focus of attention on the Argentine community,” he stated.
The ambassador participated this Saturday, together with the president of the Lisbon City Council, Carlos Moedas, and the Councilor for Culture of that municipality, Diogo Moura, in a visit to the House of Portugal, in Buenos Aires.
On the occasion, the president of the House of Portugal, Alejandro Viegas, warned of the importance of “maintaining Portugueseness” in the generation of descendants of the wave of Portuguese emigration between the years 1950 and 1970.
Corroborating this idea, José Ludovice added that, although emigration stopped at a certain point, there is a lot of interest in “maintaining these links.”
In Argentina it is estimated that there are more than 200,000 descendants of Portuguese, said the ambassador, highlighting that the House of Portugal has around 30,000 subscribers.
The House of Portugal turns 106 years old and has a library, which on November 30 will turn 83, made up of a collection of books by Portuguese authors, such as José Saramago, Luís de Camões, Fernando Pessoa, Camilo Castelo Branco, Júlio Diniz, António Aleixo, among others. others.
According to librarian Delia Maria Martins, a descendant of Algarvian emigrants – the majority of Portuguese emigrants in Argentina were from the Algarve -, all the books were donated by Portuguese, due to the need to have books in their language and the collaborative spirit. , to share.
Open to members and non-members, the library was declared an asset of cultural interest two years ago, he added.
The club also has a gym, also open to non-members, a restaurant, an events room, a party and show room and an Algarve-inspired patio.
During the visit, Carlos Moedas (PSD) recalled having been an emigrant and that, having lived outside the country for 15 years, he understands “what is in the souls of those who are far away.”
María Paula Viegas, 39 years old, one of the members of the House of Portugal and niece of the president, highlighted the importance of the club to maintain links with its origins and perpetuate family memory.
Granddaughter of emigrants – from Lisbon on her father’s side and from the Algarve on her mother’s side – Paula Viegas has memories of playing with her siblings and experiencing Portuguese cuisine and music.
His work at the House of Portugal is also a way of honoring and “continuing the descendants of his grandparents,” very poor people who worked hard to build a life there.
Source: Observadora
