Portugal: Trying to help Brazilians trapped in Sudan, hopes for EU assistance

President Marcelo has expressed Portugal’s willingness to directly assist or intercede for European Union aid to Brazilian citizens caught up in the fighting in Sudan. “Every day we hear of cases, even today, of the case of Brazilians facing a dramatic situation in Sudan,” he said yesterday in the company of visiting Brazilian president Lula da Silva. Mr Lula da Silva “will say better than me exactly where and when Portugal, or the European Union, can play a helping role in relation to these Brazilian brothers of ours”, Marcelo added. There are believed to be around 21 Brazilians ‘stuck in Sudan’ right now, as well as a number of Portuguese, for whom the ministry of defence has said it is organising ‘rapid withdrawal’.