2020 in Portugal

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See also:List of years in Portugal

Events in the year 2020 in Portugal.

Incumbents

Events

January to February
  • 8 January – Police announce the seizure of 825 kilograms of cocaine, worth up to €30 million, hidden within a shipment of bananas from Latin America. It follows a similar case one year earlier when police had disrupted the trade of 430kg of cocaine concealed in an identical manner.[1]
  • 11 February – The government announces a freeze to the bank accounts of Isabel dos Santos, Africa's wealthiest woman and the daughter of the former Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos, following a petition by the Angolan government. dos Santos is accused of embezzling $115 million from Angola's state-owned Sonangol company after the publication of leaked documents in January.[2]
  • 20 February – MPs in the Assembly of the Republic vote to legalise euthanasia.[3]

March
  • 2 March – The first case of COVID-19 in Portugal is detected.[4]
  • 10 March – The government suspends all flights between Portugal and Italy to contain the spread of COVID-19 following the implementation of a national quarantine in Italy.[5]
  • 12 March:
    • In a televised address, Prime Minister António Costa announces a series of national measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of all schools and universities from 16 March, restricting the number of people allowed into shopping malls and restaurants, and limiting those disembarking from cruise ships to Portuguese nationals only. The measures are set to be reviewed on 9 April.[6]
    • The Portuguese Football Federation confirms that all professional and amateur football in the country is to be suspended until further notice due to COVID-19. Other national sports competitions, such as volleyball and hockey, are similarly postponed.[7]
  • 16 March – The death of an 80-year old man is confirmed by health minister Marta Temido as Portugal's first fatality from COVID-19.[8]
  • 18 March – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declares that a national state of emergency will take effect from the next day, with Finance Minister Mário Centeno unveiling €9.2 billion in economic assistance to households and companies. As of this day there have been 642 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with two deaths.[9]
  • 26 March:
    • The Bank of Portugal estimates that the economy will contract by between 3.7% and 5.7% of GDP in 2020 in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, with unemployment rising to between 10.1% and 11.7%.[10]
    • Anthropologists reveal evidence of extensive seafood gathering by Neanderthals in a cave on the Portuguese coast, suggesting a closer relationship between the behaviours and diets of Neanderthals and modern humans than previously thought.[11]
  • 29 March – Eduardo Cabrita, the Minister for Home Affairs, announces that migrants with active citizenship applications will be granted full citizenship rights until July. The move guarantees access to healthcare and social security benefits to all Portuguese residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

April
  • 2 April – MPs vote in favour of extending the national state of emergency for another fifteen days.[13]
  • 4 April – Government figures indicate that more than 500,000 workers are in danger of temporarily losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after almost 32,000 businesses apply to the government to furlough employees. The day also sees the total number of COVID-19 cases surpass 10,000, with 10,524 cases and 266 deaths reported.[14]
  • 12 April – Reuters reports that one in eight of Portugal's 504 deaths from COVID-19 to date have occurred in care homes, with officials concerned about the spread of the coronavirus among the elderly residents. As of this day there have been 16,585 recorded cases in the country.[15]
  • 14 April – The International Monetary Fund forecasts an 8.0% drop in Portuguese GDP for 2020 as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, with unemployment predicted to rise to 13.9%. The economy is forecast to recover in 2021 with unemployment falling to 8.7%.[10]
  • 16 April – MPs vote to further extend the national state of emergency until the beginning of May. The vote comes amid a declining growth in infections, prompting the Health Secretary Antonio Sales to praise the "excellent behaviour and civic-mindedness of the Portuguese people".[16] The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 to date stands at 18,841 with 629 deaths.[16]
  • 28 April – President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announces that the national state of emergency in place since 18 March will begin to be lifted from 3 May.[17]
  • 30 April – The Automóvel Club de Portugal confirms the cancellation of the 2020 Rally de Portugal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, abandoning plans to reschedule the event's planned 21–24 May date to October.[18]

May
  • 1 May – The Directorate-General of Health confirms that the number of fatalities from COVID-19 in Portugal has surpassed 1,000, with eighteen deaths in the preceding 24 hours bringing the country's total to 1,007. As of this date there have been 25,531 recorded cases and 1,647 recoveries.[19]
  • 3 May – The national state of emergency is lifted after six weeks, with the country downgraded to the lesser state of "calamity".[20]
  • 4 May – A three-phase re-opening plan for the country begins, with small retail businesses allowed to open and the Lisbon and Porto Metro systems resuming at a reduced capacity. The use of face masks is made compulsory for those using public transport and visiting enclosed public premises such as supermarkets.[20]
  • 20 May – Data from the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training reveals that the number of people registering as unemployed across the country increased by 48,500 in April, a rise of 22% compared to April 2019. The total number of people out of work now stands at approximately 392,000.[21]

June
  • 1 June – The government reveals a four-fold increase to €108 million to the total funds made available to companies shifting production towards tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. As of this date there have been 32,700 cases and 1,424 deaths from COVID-19 recorded in the country.[22]
  • 3 June – The Primeira Liga resumes competition with all remaining matches of the 2019–20 season set to take place without spectators.[23]
  • 6 June – Thousands attend anti-racism protests in Lisbon and Porto in response to the death of George Floyd in the United States on 25 May.[24]
  • 9 June:
    • Finance Minister Mario Centeno announces his resignation from the government for reasons undisclosed. Joao Leao, the current Budget Minister, is confirmed by Prime Minister António Costa as Centeno's replacement beginning on 15 June.[25]
    • The Assembly officially recognises diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who in his capacity as consul to France in June 1940 issued thousands of visas to Jewish refugees in Bordeaux, allowing them to escape the advancing German army by crossing south into neutral Spain. In recognition of his actions, a monument dedicated to him within the National Pantheon is also planned.[26]

Ongoing

Deaths
Júlio Castro Caldas
Paulo Gonçalves

References
  1. "It's in the bananas: Portugal finds another big cocaine haul". Associated Press. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  2. Garside, Juliette (11 February 2020). "Portugal freezes bank accounts of Isabel dos Santos after Angolan request". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  3. Wilkinson, Isambard (21 February 2020). "Portugal votes to legalise euthanasia". The Times. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  4. Wise, Peter (3 May 2020). "How Portugal turned back coronavirus tide that swamped its neighbour". Financial Times. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  5. Demony, Catarina; Khalip, Andrei (10 March 2020). "Portugal suspends flights to, from Italy due to coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  6. Goncalves, Sergio; Khalip, Andrei (12 March 2020). Lisa Schumaker (ed.). "Portugal orders schools, night clubs shut due to coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  7. Demony, Catarina (12 March 2020). Andrei Khalip; Alison Williams (eds.). "Soccer - Portugal's top league matches suspended due to coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  8. Khalip, Andrei; Demony, Catarina (16 March 2020). "Portugal confirms country's first death from coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  9. Oliveira, Ivo (18 March 2020). "Portugal declares state of emergency over coronavirus". Politico. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  10. "Portugal: Recession of 8.0% in 2020, unemployment at 13.9% - IMF". Agência de Notícias de Portugal. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  11. Davies, Nicola (26 March 2020). "Cave find shows Neanderthals collected seafood, scientists say". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  12. "Coronavirus: Portugal grants temporary citizenship rights to migrants". Euronews. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  13. Waldersee, Victoria; Goncalves, Sergio; Rua, Patricia (2 April 2020). "Portugal extends state of emergency to halt spread of coronavirus". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. Demony, Catarina (4 April 2020). Christina Fincher; Richard Chang (eds.). "Portugal's coronavirus cases grow, half a million workers at risk of lay off". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  15. Waldersee, Victoria (12 April 2020). Philippa Fletcher (ed.). "One in eight of Portugal's coronavirus-related deaths in care homes as outbreak spreads". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  16. "Portugal extends lockdown as WHO sounds Europe warning". RTÉ. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  17. Demony, Catarina; Goncalves, Sergio (28 April 2020). "Portugal to lift coronavirus state of emergency from May 3". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  18. Klein, Jamie (30 April 2020). "WRC News: Rally Portugal officially cancelled due to the coronavirus". Autosport. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  19. "Portugal's COVID-19 death toll tops 1,000". Xinhua News Agency. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  20. Waldersee, Victoria (3 May 2020). Andrew Cawthorne (ed.). "'Freed from prison': Portuguese enjoy easing lockdown". Reuters. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  21. Demony, Catarina (20 May 2020). Victoria Waldersee (ed.). "Unemployment soars in Portugal's tourism-dependent Algarve region". Reuters. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  22. "Portugal quadruples funds to companies fighting COVID-19 pandemic". Xinhua News Agency. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  23. Myers, Paul (3 June 2020). "Pacesetters Porto kick off return of Primeira Liga after Portugal's coronavirus lockdown". Radio France Internationale. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  24. "Milhares na rua, em Lisboa e Porto, contra o racismo". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  25. "Portugal finance chief and eurogroup chair quits government". Associated Press. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  26. Badcock, James (17 June 2020). "Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  27. Minder, Raphael (20 September 2019). "Who First Circled the Globe? Not Magellan, Spain Wants You to Know". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  28. "Morreu o ex-ministro e bastonário dos advogados Júlio Castro Caldas". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 4 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  29. "Morreu a empresária Fernanda Pires da Silva". Expresso (in Portuguese). 11 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  30. Lillo, Sergio; Khorounzhiy, Valentin (12 January 2020). "Veteran rider Goncalves dies in Dakar accident". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  31. Ribeiro, Nuno (10 February 2020). "Álvaro Barreto (1936-2020): um trânsito permanente entre empresas e política". Publico (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  32. "Morreu antigo ministro Joaquim Pina Moura". Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 20 February 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  33. Mourato, Paula; Santos, Joana Rita (14 March 2020). "Obituário Francisco Romãozinho, o campeão de ralis que amava Alvega (1943 – 2020)". Medio Tejo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  34. Firmino, Teresa (14 April 2020). "Maria de Sousa (1939-2020), uma vida sem muros". Publico (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  35. Vaz Fernandez, Luís (17 May 2020). "Morreu o embaixador José Cutileiro". Observador. Lusa News Agency. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  36. Bruno, Cátia (23 May 2020). "Morreu a escritora Maria Velho da Costa, uma das autoras das Novas Cartas Portuguesas". Observador. Lusa News Agency. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  37. "Morreu Tavares Moreira, antigo governador do Banco de Portugal". Expresso (in Portuguese). 9 June 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  38. "Morreu a atriz Maria José, uma carreira de mais de 80 anos dos palcos de teatro à televisão". Publico (in Portuguese). Lusa News Agency. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
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