Portugal–United States relations
Portugal |
United States |
---|---|
Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Portugal, Washington, D.C. | Embassy of the United States, Lisbon |
Portugal–United States relations are
History
Despite
Unlike other European colonial powers such as
In 1791, Portugal became the first neutral nation to establish diplomatic ties with the United States, leading to the arrival of an American legation headed by
The U.S. and Portugal fought together in the
Increased Portuguese immigration to the United States began in the early nineteenth century. Approximately 70 percent of these immigrants came from
The Portuguese government favored the Union during the American Civil War, providing assistance to the Union Navy during the conflict.[5] Due to settling primarily in New England, most Portuguese Americans were Union soldiers.[5]
In 1911, the United States declared its support of the
In 1917, both Portugal and the United States joined
The harmonious relationship between Portugal and the United States was strained during the 1960s and 70s. Amid a wider global trend of decolonization, the Portuguese colonies of Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau, all in Africa, began to demand independence from Portugal. The strain in relations was caused by the United States declaring its support for these independence movements, a move which greatly angered the Portuguese government.[7]
Following the Portuguese Colonial War, Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau all gained independence. The revolution brought down the dictatorial Estado Novo regime that had ruled over Portugal since 1933, beginning the country's peaceful transition towards democracy and allowing Portuguese-U.S. relations to be repaired.
In 2017 the Portuguese Minister of National Defence, José Alberto Azeredo Lopes and the Ambassador of the United States in Portugal, Robert A. Sherman, signed a new deal to strengthen cooperation in search and rescue missions in North part of Atlantic Ocean. On the US side, maritime and air search and rescue will be the responsibility of the United States Coast Guard, on the Portuguese side it will be the responsibility of the Portuguese Navy and Portuguese Air Force.[8]
Military
Since the Carnation Revolution and the end of the Cold War, Portugal and the United States have remained close allies, fighting together in the
The defense relationship between the United States and Portugal is centered on the 1995 Agreement on Cooperation and Defense (ACD). For 50 years, Lajes Field in the Azores has played an important role in supporting U.S. military aircraft (its importance such that the US had a contingency plan in 1975 to stimulate Azores independence in the event of a Communist takeover of Portugal[9]). Most recent missions are engaged in counter-terrorism and humanitarian efforts, including operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Portugal also provides the United States access to Montijo Air Base and several ports. Portugal was also, along with the United States, one of the founding members of NATO.
Portugal defines itself as "Atlanticist" emphasizing its support for strong European ties with the United States, particularly on defense and security issues. The
The Portuguese Marine Corps of the Portuguese Navy together with the United States Marine Corps, has carried out several joint military exercises in the last years.[12][13][14]
The annual
The United States Department of Defense has supported the last depolyments of Portuguese Army soldiers during the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, with 15 International MaxxPro and 7 Oshkosh M-ATV to protect the Kabul International Airport.[16][17]
Over the last few years, the Portuguese and American military have carried out several missions in Eastern Europe, namely in Romania and Lithuania.[18][19]
In 2023, Portuguese Paratroopers participated with the 82nd Airborne Division in the International Exercise "Operation Toy Drop 23", in Fort Liberty, North Carolina.[20]
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USAF in the Portuguese Monte Real Air Base.
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Portuguese soldiers hook their Panhard VBL to an UH-60 Blackhawk of the 224th Aviation Regiment.
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Portuguese Submarine NRP Tridente (S160) at Naval Station Norfolk.
Economic
The United States of America stands out as one of Portugal's main trading partners and is Portugal's largest trading partner outside the European Union.
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, in 2022 the USA was the 4th customer of Portuguese exports, with a share of 7% of the total, and occupied the 8th position in terms of imports (3.28% of the total).
In 2021, the value of Portuguese exports to the United States was 4,490 million dollars and that of imports reached 2,340 million dollars.[21]
Most of the products exported by Portugal to the United States of America are mineral fuels, machinery, chemical products, plastics and rubber, textile materials, wood and cork, common metals and minerals, and ores. Conversely, groups of products made up of mineral fuels, agricultural products, machinery and apparatus, vehicles and other transport material, chemical products, plastics and rubber, optical and precision instruments, and common metals stand out in terms of American exports to Portugal.
The Government of Portugal is encouraging greater bilateral investment. US firms play some significant roles in the pharmaceutical, computer, and retail sectors in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, but their involvement in the automotive sector has sharply declined in recent years.
Official meetings
Presidential visits from United States to Portugal[22][10]
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1960)
- President Jimmy Carter (1980)
- President Ronald Reagan (1985)
- President George H. W. Bush (1994)
- Vice President Al Gore (1996)
- President Bill Clinton (2000)
- President George W. Bush (2003)
- President Barack Obama (2010)
Presidential visits from Portugal to United States[22]
- President António Ramalho Eanes (1978)
- Prime Minister Francisco Pinto Balsemão (1982)
- President António Ramalho Eanes (1983)
- President Mário Soares (1987)
- President Mário Soares (1989)
- President Mário Soares (1993)
- President Jorge Sampaio (2000)
- President Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2007)
- President Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2011)
- President Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2014)
- President Aníbal Cavaco Silva (2015)
- President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2016)
- President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Prime Minister António Costa (2018)
- President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa (2022)
Resident diplomatic missions
Portugal has diplomatic missions in:[23]
- Washington, D.C.. (Embassy)
- Boston (Consulate-General)
- New York City (Consulate-General)
- Newark (Consulate-General)
- San Francisco (Consulate-General)
- New Bedford (Consulate)
- Providence (Vice-Consulate)
- Honolulu (Honorary Consulate)
- Houston (Honorary Consulate)
- Indianapolis (Honorary Consulate)
- Los Angeles (Honorary Consulate)
- Miami (Honorary Consulate)
- New Orleans (Honorary Consulate)
- Phoenix (Honorary Consulate)
- San Diego (Honorary Consulate)
- San Juan de Puerto Rico(Honorary Consulate)
- Tulare (Honorary Consulate)
- Waterbury/Naugatuck (Honorary Consulate)
United States has diplomatic missions in:[24]
- Lisbon (Embassy)
- Ponta Delgada (Consulate)
-
Embassy of Portugal in Washington, D.C.
-
Consulate-General of Portugal in San Francisco
-
Embassy of the United States in Lisbon
See also
- Foreign relations of Portugal
- Foreign relations of the United States
- Portuguese Americans
- Portuguese-American neighborhoods
- United States–European Union relations
- List of ambassadors of the United States to Portugal
- List of ambassadors of Portugal to the United States
References
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
- ^ a b c d "Portuguese Settlement in the United States". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c "A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by country, since 1776: Portugal". Office of the Historian. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "The Barbary Wars 1801–1805 and 1815". Veterans Museum at Balboa Park. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "Protestant Exiles from Madeira in Illinois". Library of Congress. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "Portugal and the U.S. Civil War". Portuguese Historical Museum. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "EUA reconhecem a República". Fundação Mário Soares. Retrieved September 23, 2010.
- ^ "Portugal-US Relations". Global Security.org. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "Portugal e EUA assinam acordo sobre busca e salvamento marítimo e aéreo". www.portugal.gov.pt. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- Agence France Presse, Raw Story, November 19, 2010, US had plans to ‘take over’ Azores in 1975
- ^ a b "The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso of Portugal, President Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom in the Azores, Portugal | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ Lusa (March 16, 2008). "Início da guerra no Iraque foi ditado há cinco anos na Cimeira das Lajes". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Bilateral Military Training with U.S. Marines and Portuguese Fuzileiros".
- ^ "Fuzileiros e Marines norte-americanos treinam em Portugal". Marinha (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "Fuzileiros portugueses e Marines norte-americanos realizam exercício conjunto". Marinha (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "REAL THAW 13 sets aim for interoperability". U.S. Air Forces in Europe & Air Forces Africa. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "Portugal to field US military MRAPs in Afghanistan | Jane's 360". February 15, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "Militares no Afeganistão recebem 4 novas viaturas de combate blindadas". Portal da Defesa na Internet (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "US Army, NATO Allies complete Exercise Justice Eagle 22". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ "Lithuania hosts multinational squad competition". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
- ^ "Portuguese Paratroopers and the 82nd Airborne Division participated in the "Operation Toy Drop 23"".
- ^ "United States (USA) and Portugal (PRT) Trade | OEC". OEC – The Observatory of Economic Complexity. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ a b "Estados Unidos da América". Portal Diplomático (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ "Estados Unidos da América". Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-07-06.
- ^ Embassy of the United States in Lisbon
Further reading
- Marcos, Daniel. "Between the Atlantic and the Empire: NATO as a framework for Portuguese–American relations in early Cold War (1949–1957)." Journal of Transatlantic Studies 12.3 (2014): 324–341.