Welcome to the Week em Breve, a wrap-up of important Portuguese news to keep you up to date and in the know.
Major fires sweep through north and central Portugal
More than 2,000 firefighters have been mobilized in the past week to battle fires across central and northern Portugal.
The three worst-affected areas are Arouca (Aveiro District), Ponte da Barca (Viana do Castelo District), and Penamacor (Castelo Branco District).
As of yesterday, 113 fires had already been suppressed, according to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
Nineteen people have been injured and many more evacuated, according to ECHO, and fires continue to rage across many areas.
Due to low humidity and severe heat, Portugal yesterday went into a state of alert that will last through August 7.
This restricts access to forests and bans burning, rural work, and the use of fireworks, among other measures.
The fires come as Portugal experiences strong winds and summer temperatures pushed to the extremes by climate change.
Portugal announces intention to recognize the State of Palestine
Portugal joined France, Canada, and the United Kingdom last week in expressing their intention to recognize the State of Palestine.
The government will consult with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and parliamentary parties ahead of any official recognition, which would take place at the United Nations General Assembly in September, Público reports.
Some politicians on the left criticized the time it has taken to reach this point, but the president praised the government’s “very prudent and sensible” approach, Sabado reports.
The State of Palestine is currently recognized by 147 countries, representing 75% of UN members, according to Al Jazeera.
Work to start on high-speed train between Lisbon and Porto
Work can start on Portugal’s first high-speed railway after the European Investment Bank (EIB) delivered the initial round of financing, Euractiv reports.
EIB has committed €3 billion for the whole project and delivered the first €875 million last Tuesday.
The first section of the railway will be between Porto and Oiã, about a quarter of the way to Lisbon, according to Euractiv.
Once completed, the Lisbon-Porto high-speed railway will reduce travel time from around 3 hours to 1 hour 15 minutes and serve around 10 million people per year.
Miguel Cruz, President of Infraestruturas de Portugal, said: “More than a historic moment, this is a commitment to the future. The signing of the concession and financing for the first section of the Lisbon–Porto high-speed line represents a decisive step towards the construction of a modern, efficient, and sustainable railway network.”
Scared of blackouts? Buy batteries
Portugal plans to invest up to €400 million in the power grid and battery storage in the wake of April’s sweeping blackout, Reuters reports.
Minister for Environment and Energy Maria da Graca Carvalho said €137 million would help deal with intermittent renewables such as wind and solar.
Portugal aims to increase battery storage capacity to 750 megawatts from its current 13 megawatts, Reuters reports.
Maria da Graca Carvalho said the planned storage increase would provide greater energy autonomy to critical infrastructure such as hospitals, fire departments, and security forces, Reuters reports.
Over 2,200 trafficking victims in six years
Portugal recorded 2,211 human trafficking victims in six years, according to the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), Público reports.
The majority were adult men and tended to come from Africa or Asia, according to Público.
They were generally exploited for their labor in agriculture, and frequently came from vulnerable backgrounds, having “little or no education,” existing economic fragility, and few family or friends, Público reports.
Victims were often kept in poor conditions, crammed in houses without bathrooms or mattresses and held captive with fabricated debts, threats and physical violence.
The full report on human trafficking in Portugal by GRETA is expected in March 2026.
