Dozens arrested over alleged migrant-worker exploitation in the Alentejo // Portugal is shrinking, ageing and fleeing the countryside
Portuguese news in English on Sunday, November 27, 2022.
By the numbers
Note: I’m flying to Australia on Friday so I’ll be on a plane for essentially the entire weekend and won’t be able to send out a newsletter. See you the following week.
Dozens arrested over alleged migrant-worker exploitation in the Alentejo
Thirty-five people have been arrested in police raids on an alleged criminal network exploiting dozens of migrant workers, Público reports. A source close to the investigation told Público more than 70 people were sleeping in an accommodation with just one bathroom. Some people earning just €5–10 a week were forced to beg to survive, the police source said, listing victims from countries such as Romania, Moldova, India, Senegal, Pakistan, Morocco and Algeria. Police alleged the immigrants paid their own way to Portugal and members of the network resorted to violence and threats, keeping the workers in a permanent state of terror. The alleged leaders were a Romanian couple, with at least half a dozen Portuguese in minor roles. Another source told the newspaper the majority of the workers chose to keep working in the Alentejo after the raids, being that they were exploited by the intermediaries, not their ultimate employers. The “megaoperation” to crack the alleged syndicate included hundreds of officers.
Portugal is shrinking, ageing and fleeing the countryside
Portugal’s population is shrinking, ageing and deserting the interior to live along the coastline, Público reports, citing newly released data from the 2021 census. That 2.1% reduction in population to 10,343,066 came despite a huge surge in immigration that brought a 37% increase in the number of foreigners living here. Foreigners, predominantly Brazilians, now make up 5.2% of a population that includes 182 old people for every 100 young people, with 20% of residents living in just seven municipalities, or 1.1% of the land mass. On a positive note, education has improved, with almost one in five people over 15 years old now holding a university degree. Experts have urged the country to examine the trends seriously and prepare for the problems that an ageing population living in a smaller and smaller area will likely bring, Público reports.
Prime minister urged to answer former central bank governor’s claims
The main opposition party has issued a list of 12 questions for the prime minister to answer regarding a series of claims made in a book written by a former central bank governor, Público reports. António Costa has denied the claims, calling the accusations “false and offensive”. The prime minister also announced plans to sue the former Bank of Portugal governor, Carlos Costa, over the comments. Among other questions, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) called on the prime minister to clarify whether he had urged the then-governor to take into account Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos status as the daughter of the then-president of Angola, a “friendly country”, when considering her removal from a major bank. Other questions from the opposition party related to the dissolution of another bank, Banco Banif, including whether António Costa had spoken to European authorities before it was finalised.
Dos Santos, formerly the richest woman in Africa, said the Portuguese state never intervened on her behalf, Lusa reports. Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for her extradition, under suspicion of alleged fraud, embezzlement, money laundering and influence peddling, Lusa reported earlier this month.
In brief
COVID-19 can cause ‘significant’ brain abnormalities for up to six months, researchers say. Scientists using a special type of MRI scan found changes, mostly in the frontal lobe and brainstem, found changes in 46 COVID-19 patients compared to 36 healthy control patients. It’s not clear what the changes could mean. (Euronews, in English)
Portuguese ambassador called by Qatar's deputy prime minister after president's "hostile" declarations. The World Cup hosts were upset with Portuguese leaders’ comments about the country, particularly Marcel Rebelo de Sousa’s assertion that “Qatar doesn’t respect human rights”. (CNN Portugal)
TAP cancels 360 flights on December strike days. The airline said the move would have a “large cost” but was the only way to “mitigate the inconveniences caused to clients” on December 8 and 9. (Público)
Almost two dozen women killed by their partner this year. The number of domestic-violence killings is returning to pre-pandemic levels, prompting calls for an overhaul to the way victims’ complaints are handled. (Diário de Notícias)
Tax authorities propose including cryptocurrency services in tax returns. In some circumstances, crypto earnings are already subject to IRS but the proposal would create a category for “providers of services connected to crypto assets”. (Público)
On a lighter note
Another five Portuguese restaurants have earned Michelin stars, Diário de Notícias reports. The 2023 edition of the respected fancy food guide will include 38 starred restaurants but the country’s quest for a restaurant to be granted three Michelin stars remains unfulfilled. The new additions include Encanto, a vegetarian fine diner from well-known chef José Avillez; Paulo Alves’ Kabuki, in Lisbon; Paulo Morais’ Kanazawa, in Lisbon; Vasco Coelho Santos’ Euskalduna Studio, in Porto; and Julien Montbabut’ Le Monument, in Porto. For those looking to spend a lot less, the guide’s Bib Gourmand section features significantly more affordable options.