São Lourenço Palace has been a subject of contention between regional entities and the Portuguese State. The current Representative of the Republic, judge Paulo Barreto, advocates for the palace to remain under state guardianship, citing the deterioration of other fortifications transferred to regional management.
However, it was recently observed that gardeners from the Funchal Municipal Council, in uniform, were watering the palace's exterior gardens. This occurs while the Funchal council has previously acknowledged insufficient resources for the city's green spaces, raising questions about the responsibility for maintaining the historic building's gardens.
