Portugal's government rejects paying reparations for colonial, slavery legacy

Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa addresses the nation from Belem Palace to announce his decision to dissolve parliament triggering snap general elections on March 10th, after Prime Minister Antonio Costa resigned due to an ongoing investigation on the alleged corruption in multi-billion dollar lithium, green hydrogen and data centre deals, in Lisbon, Portugal, November 9, 2023. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo

LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal's government said on Saturday it refuses to initiate any process to pay reparations for atrocities committed during transatlantic slavery and the colonial era, contrary to earlier comments from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

From the 15th to the 19th century, 6 million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported across the Atlantic by Portuguese vessels and sold into slavery, primarily in Brazil.