Portugal, which has the longest historical involvement in the slave trade in Europe, forcibly transported nearly 6 million Africans across the Atlantic over four centuries.

Critics argue that there is a lack of recognition and discussion of this history in Portuguese schools.

Portugal's president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, acknowledged the country's role in the transatlantic slave trade and the resulting enslavement of survivors in the Americas, primarily in Brazil.

He expressed Portugal's responsibility for past wrongs, including colonial massacres, and pledged to make amends.

The president did not provide specific details on how Portugal would repair the damage or return looted goods.

This statement came a year after he suggested an apology and assumption of responsibility.

The founder of Afrolink, an online platform for Black professionals in Portugal, Paula Cardoso, stated that both of the president's remarks were mainly directed towards international audiences.

According to Cardoso, the reason behind this international strategy is the lack of national recognition for the importance of discussing this topic within Portugal.