Guinea-Bissau Expels Portuguese Media Outlets
Guinea-Bissau’s government has suspended two prominent Portuguese news agencies, ordering their journalists to leave the country. The government provided no further details about the decision, which affects the Lusa news agency and the state-run RTP broadcaster. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, their programming has been halted, and their representatives have been instructed to leave by Tuesday. President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, who was scheduled to attend a ceremony in Lisbon on Monday marking his role as the rotating president of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), will no longer make the trip, as confirmed by Guinea-Bissau’s delegation. The nation, which gained independence from Portugal in 1974, has longstanding ties to its former colonizer.
Portugal Government Reacts:
The Portuguese government condemned the move, calling the expulsion of the media outlets “highly reprehensible and unjustifiable.” The government summoned Guinea-Bissau’s ambassador for an urgent meeting on Saturday to demand an explanation. Guinea-Bissau’s Foreign Minister, Carlos Pinto Pereira, confirmed that the expulsion was a government decision, but he did not elaborate on the reasoning. He stated that a formal briefing would be held, likely on Saturday, to provide further details. “We are aware of the Portuguese government’s response and will address it in the appropriate forum,” Pereira added.
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Guinea-Bissau Expels Portuguese Media Outlets
