The leader of CDS Madeira, José Manuel Rodrigues, advocated for the creation of a national and European plan to support Venezuela's reconstruction.
Rodrigues emphasized the need for a special focus on Portuguese-Venezuelan citizens affected by recent tragedies, deeming this support "due and entirely just." The proposal should be part of a broader strategy involving the European Union and other international organizations.
The centrist leader spoke at an event with Portuguese-Venezuelans, thanking them for the "enormous movement of solidarity" they created in Madeira to help Venezuela. He warned that after tragedy comes recovery, and solidarity may wane over time, urging state and institutional mobilization to support Portuguese citizens who lost property and wish to rebuild their lives.
José Manuel Rodrigues recalled the importance of remittances from Portuguese emigrants in the 1980s for Portugal's development and argued that the country now has a duty to help those who left but never forgot their homeland and contributed to its growth.
