Upon being told of the passing away of the President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, the President of the Republic addressed a message of condolences to the Speaker of that Country’s Parliament, Dr. Raimundo Pereira.

Following is the text of the message:

“Mister President,

Upon being advised of the tragic and deplorable events which took place, at dawn, in Guinea Bissau, which caused the death of President Nino Vieira, as well as that of Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff, General Tagmé Na Waié, I wish to express, in my name and on behalf of the People of Portugal, our deepest condolences and our heartfelt solidarity for their families and for the brotherly People of Guinea Bissau.

We vigorously disavow these attempts, as well as any actions which intend to change, through force and violence, the constitutional order and the normal functioning of the democratically elected institutions.

President Nino Vieira was a man and a politician with whom I was well acquainted, with whom I worked throughout the years in the strengthening of friendship and cooperation between Portugal and Guinea Bissau, as well as in the defence of the principles and values which link our peoples and which we share within the framework of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries.

President Nino Vieira had been democratically elected to the Highest Office of the Nation, and the best tribute that can be paid to his memory will be the preservation of the normal functioning of the institutions and the respect for the constitutional order.

The people of Guinea Bissau recently showed, in an electoral process which deserved the praise of the international community, their adhesion to democracy and their hope for a future of peace and development that they have for long been entitled.

I sincerely hope that the politicians and the military forces will be able to show, by their deportment, that they have understood the signs that were given them so eloquently by the People of Guinea Bissau and that they are equal to the hopes deposited in them.

In this difficult moment I wish to assure you of Portugal’s firm and determined support for the efforts of Guinea Bissau on behalf of peace, consolidation of democracy and economic and social development.

Aníbal Cavaco Silva
President of the Republic