Azores Situation Report Wednesday 5th April 2023
by Christopher Noble
New head of the Armed Forces promises to “do everything” to supervise the sea in the Azores.
The new head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGFA), Nunes da Fonseca, promised to “do everything” to supervise the sea in the Azores, while the president of the Regional Government asked for means to protect marine areas.
“Obviously, the Armada has well-defined and well-staggered missions on the ground, according to its capabilities. We will honour this commitment [to protect the sea]. And we are going to do everything we can to continue fulfilling this mission, which is very important”, said Nunes da Fonseca.
The general was speaking at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Regional Government, in Ponta Delgada, after an audience with the leader of the Azorean executive (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM), José Manuel Bolieiro.
In early February, the Government of the Republic proposed the appointment of General Nunes da Fonseca as CEMGFA, with effect from March 1, 2023.
Nunes da Fonseca recalled that the protection of the sea is an “inherent responsibility to the activity of the Armed Forces” and reiterated the “availability” to support the region in search and rescue and civil protection missions.
“I expressed the availability of the Armed Forces to continue to serve within the limits of their capabilities, with rationality and balance, the populations of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, fulfilling not only military missions, but also other important missions in the archipelago”, he declared.
The president of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, praised the “link between the Armed Forces and the Azorean people”, exemplifying with the aid in supplying the island of Flores during the month of March or the support to the population of the island of São Jorge during the crisis seismo-volcanic in 2022.
Emphasizing the “strategic importance of the Azores in the national context”, Bolieiro warned of the need for means for marine protection.
“Faced with the new challenges, with regard to new technologies and the protection of our sea, the new protected marine reserve areas or even the size of our Exclusive Economic Zone, there is also this expectation that the means, all of them, whether level of the Army, Navy or Air Force, to be able to monitor the availability”, he stressed.
On Monday, the President of the Government of the Azores announced the creation of an interdepartmental commission with the aim of issuing “fundamental” political guidelines that will lead to the final phase of the network of marine protected areas in the archipelago.
Several commercial spaces in Ponta Delgada target of thefts
Supermarkets located in Arrifes, Capelas, Livramento, São Sebastião and São Vicente Ferreira were “attacked” yesterday at dawn.
Five commercial spaces, mostly supermarkets, in the municipality of Ponta Delgada were the target of theft or attempted theft, in the early hours of Thursday.
As confirmed by Açoriano Oriental with a source from the Regional Command of the PSP of the Azores, the incidents were recorded in Arrifes, Capelas, Livramento, São Vicente Ferreira and São Sebastião.
Some commercial spaces, such as a supermarket located in Vila Faia, parish of Livramento, were vandalized, with the intention of theft. In this case, the theft was actually consummated, with the theft of an automatic tobacco machine.
The PSP adds that it was called to the locations and is investigating what happened.
Some of the commercial spaces were equipped with video surveillance circuits, which can help the investigation and be an added value for the authorities to reach possible suspects for the criminal acts.