en 
"We have to pay the costs. Are there actions that were not punished and those responsible were not arrested? Are there goods that were looted and were not returned? Let's see how we can repair this", said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The President of the Republic spoke during a dinner with foreign correspondents in Portugal.
At the event, Rebelo de Sousa said that Portugal "takes full responsibility" for the mistakes of the past and remembers that these crimes, including colonial massacres, had costs.
A year ago, in the welcoming session for Brazilian President Lula da Silva, which preceded the solemn session commemorating the 49th anniversary of the 25th of April in the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa argued that Portugal owed an apology, but above all, had to take full responsibility for exploitation and slavery in the colonial period.
"It's not just apologising - duly, without a doubt - for what we did, because apologising is sometimes the easiest thing to do, you apologise, turn your back, and the job is done. No, it's taking responsibility for the future of what we did, good and bad, in the past", he defended.
Over more than four centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped, forcibly transported long distances by mostly European ships and merchants, and sold into slavery.
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Right, so where is he going to get the money? From the taxpayers? Has he asked their permission? So the police, firemen, teachers, doctors, nurses, and all the other people in Portugal, who pay taxes, year after year, to have free education for their chidlren, protected borders, orderly cities, infrastructure, healthcare, and such, should now go without, because this decrepit sunburnt imbecile wants to give all the money to some African country, because of something Portuguese people did 400 years ago, to make himself feel better? To appeal to the deranged wokes? You know who takes money from people and decided what to do with it without their permission? Tyrants and fascists. He likes history? Well, historically such tyrants used to end up with their heads rolling down the streets.
Oh and as a little sidenote: there is still slavery. Guess where......! I'll help you: in the same exact countries (and adjacent ones) this decrepit sunburnt cretin wants to give Portuguese taxpayers' money to. Clown.
By Hart from Lisbon on 24 Apr 2024, 17:33
It's alarming! What is done is done, the past remains the past and the people of the past are no longer. The government has taxes that provide for the less fortunate. You have charity programs and so forth. But once you start announcing this madness the entitled elites will make it a right of passage. This is not saintly nor is it going to be added as good works. Nobody can pay for the sins of the past or guilted into payment for past history, then the world will owing everyone from every ethnic group. For goodness sake, then I should claim as well because the last three years of living in Portugal has been horrible, been treated badly by Portuguese, refused service and told to go back where I come from, refusing to give me a chance at work, but want me as part time for 16€ a day to clean up after others. But when asked for a permanent position was refused and they hired a Portuguese woman full time with 75€. Why I ask they say because you not Portuguese, but yet my money which is little must be good enough to take when purchasing locally from Portuguese. But I'm not good enough for the same respect and dignity. The mayor of the village lacks integrity only his family and friends get privilege position and jobs and some more than 3 positions and equally payed for every one of those jobs. I sometimes wonder if the Portuguese government will pay me for past 3 years for the errors of the Portuguese who have robbed, treated me badly and still gladly take what little I have to satisfy their sensational lust and greed.
By Mia from Other on 25 Apr 2024, 10:13
Seriously, all the social and economic issues that currently exist in the country and he wants to give away money for (horrible and unjust as they may be) things that happened in previous eras? Please solve todays issues before turning back the clock and creating even more division.
By stuart wood from Algarve on 25 Apr 2024, 11:08
Very disappointed to read the above comments. It is not over. The damage has not been corrected. The damage and pain continue. And are felt and experienced by millions. The comments show that education is needed as well as reparations. Yes, people will have to pay. I applaud the president’s comments and recognition that this needs to be done. It takes courage. This is far from over and done.
By Ama-Robin from Lisbon on 25 Apr 2024, 11:25
Are also Italians responsible for the Roman empire, Greeks responsible for the Greek Empire, Iranians responsible for the Persian empire, Iraqis responsible for the Babylonian empire, how about Denmark, France, UK, Russia, China, Germany, They all caused major suffering and they are all dead, what happened in the past is in the past. It's not my fault for what happened in the past, no one that wasn't born yet in the past had anything to do with it, get a timing machine and go back to the past to correct the past. Wake up to reality, the whole world was different in the past. STUPID
By Tony from Other on 27 Apr 2024, 13:40