Speech by the President of the Government - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

Full text of the speech delivered today by the President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, in Ponta Delgada at the opening of the 7th Azorean Law Days - "Freedom of Speech":

"The Azorean Law Days are now in their seventh edition.

And what a success this consistency represents! I would like to praise it with great satisfaction.

Its journey, edition after edition, has garnered prestige, recognition and positive feedback.

It has also ensured consistency and this has raised and raised to prominence the good name of the Azores - the place of choice for organising these intellectual, knowledge-sharing and experience-sharing events.

The Autonomous Region of the Azores, through the Regional Government, praises this Forum that has been created. As President of the Government, I would like to express my congratulations on the endeavours of its creators, who have shown tremendous initiative and are fearless pioneers in the critical reflection they propose.

These Azorean Law Days are a benchmark for reflection as well as for legal and political thought in the country, based in the Azores, in an initiative organised by Judicial Magistrates working in the Azores.

In the opening session of the seventh edition, and we know the number seven represents the search for knowledge, I would like to say that I am looking forward to the scheduled lectures, featuring speakers of excellence.

I would like, through Sónia Braga, who represents the Organising Committee, to salute all the organisers responsible for this seventh edition, demonstrating their determination and commitment to making it happen. I hope these work days provide an opportunity for a serene reflection on the specific theme - "Freedom of Speech" - and its impact on the rights, freedoms and guarantees that are fundamental to a democratic state governed by the rule of law.

I would like to welcome auditors, lecturers, magistrates, lawyers, legal experts, university professors and professionals from other areas of knowledge from Mainland Portugal who have travelled to the Azores to take part in these Days.

I wish every one of you the opportunity to come into closer contact with the cultural, social, economic and political reality of the Azores and also with regional law if that is the case.

"freedom of speech" is such a relevant theme these days when true freedom of speech and other freedoms are being attacked, limited and called into question at times of social and political instability. Some constitutional rights are legitimising autocracies through constitutional changes that David Landau calls "abusive constitutionalism."

As I am not an expert on the theme of the days, nor do I have any legislative intervention in the field of rights, freedoms and guarantees or even justice in general, I will limit my references to my understanding that there is an urgent need to question the appropriate means for promoting a general culture of ethics and various demands for dignity.

This event and its theme are already a contribution.

Being held in the Azores, they fulfil a tradition. Indeed, it is historic, centuries old.

Otherwise, let us see:

In the Azores, throughout several cycles, different Azorean individuals gave the country an expression of the dimension and intellectual excellence of political and legislative thought, which had an impact on reforms and changes to the anachronistic status quo of each cycle, as far as regimes and governments were concerned.

I will mention just a few of the most iconic facts and actors in the changes that have taken place in Portugal.

The transition of Portugal from absolutism to liberalism took place in the Azores during the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834). It was with his victory that Pedro IV organised the liberal government and carried out a series of reforms, highlighting the legislative activity of Mouzinho da Silveira, who modernised administration, justice and taxation, the foundations for the future Constitutional Portugal.

It all began with the liberal victory in the "Ladeira Velha" battle in São Miguel in 1831, which led to the departure and landing in Mindelo in 1832. The brave men of Mindelo then turned the tide in the civil war and with their victory the constitutional regime was established in Portugal.

It was also an Azorean who, in the monarchy period, became an important political and governing figure: Ernesto Rodolfo Hintze Ribeiro.

He served as President of the Council of Ministers and was responsible for structural reforms.

Under his leadership, I would like to highlight the electoral and administrative reforms, the customs reforms, the forestry and pharmacy regulations, and the freedom of the press, first and after the imposed restriction on the press with anarchist repression.

Incidentally, he was also responsible for granting the Azores administrative autonomy.

It was under the leadership of another Azorean, Antero de Quental, that the illustrious generation of the 1870s once again revolutionised culture, literature and politics in Portugal.

In addition to Antero de Quental, this generation included Eça de Queiroz, Oliveira Martins, Ramalho Ortigão, Guerra Junqueiro and another Azorean, Teófilo Braga.

The group had a major impact on political thought, which began to favour republican and democratic ideas, and was a driving force for change in Portuguese society in the late 19th century.

I believe there is a consensus that this generation was responsible for the subsequent cultural and political modernisation of Portugal, paving the way for the establishment of the Republic.

The transition from the Monarchy to the Republic in Portugal took place in its early years with two Azoreans.

Again, Teófilo Braga, the first head of state of the republican regime (who also headed the government) and Manuel Arriaga, the first Constitutional President from 1911 to 1915.

Without mentioning other factual references and personalities in the fight against dictatorship and the establishment of a democratic regime, I will only mention Natália Correia, so as not to turn this speech political, by referring to current actors.

Natália Correia stood out for her critical, even transgressive and innovative attitude, and today she is commonly recognised in the intellectual environment as a leading voice in the defence of freedom, the status of women and national cultural identity.

All of this, summarised, is inspiring and motivating for me, who proudly says that in the Azores and with Azoreans, Portugal was made through constant critical reflection and action, being fertile in changes, which are, after all, the most constant thing in life.

I bypassed the specific approach to the theme of the event.

It was on purpose, as I said before. I am not an expert, nor am I expected to give a lesson on the subject at this opening session.

I will just say, to end my speech, that once again, as history and the different cycles have taught us, it is worth being critical when reflecting on the theme of the Days, and this, as Fernando Pessoa would say, "if the soul is not small."

From the Azores, with your intellectual, scientific and professional skills, we can draw challenging conclusions.

The evolution of societies and forms of communication is becoming increasingly staggering.

There is an increasing amount of dematerialised communication, through social networks, the use of artificial intelligence and the generation of false content and fake news, which quickly goes viral on a global scale. The freedom of speech is under stress as, under the cover of untraceable IT tools, it is possible to say anything about anyone, especially public figures, and with global coverage.

The temptation of many - which I reject - is to limit freedom of speech as a way of controlling opinion, which would inevitably be followed by other sophisticated ways of curtailing free speech.

However, we are all faced with serious misrepresentations of the truth and decisions, which are quickly taken as new truths (post-truths).

There is no democracy without freedom of speech and freedom of the press. It is through them that people can question the state of affairs, express discontent, defend causes or simply share their worldviews.

Nevertheless, the digital age has brought a new paradigm and has profoundly transformed social and communicational relations, impacting the cultural and creative industries and changing the way content is produced, distributed and consumed.

While this evolution provide us significant new opportunities for communication, it also presents considerable challenges to democratic processes, with a constant increase in disinformation, manipulation, hate speech and attacks on honour in the digital ecosystem.

The population is currently overwhelmed by a massive volume of information, which makes it difficult to understand some news, identify reliable sources and access quality content.

Our Constitution is clear: the right to inform and to be informed, strictly speaking, is not a mere formality but a constitutional spirit that requires doctrinal expertise capable of identifying any deviation as a breach of the Rule of Law.

Understanding the role of freedom of the press and freedom of information in the 21st century requires a close look at communication theories and their evolution.

Several questions are pertinent.

Has the advent of the internet and social networks brought about a dramatic seismic revolution, radically altering the dynamics of communication and, with it, trends in social and political interaction?

Are the 21st century theories of communication moving towards more systemic and complex models, where information is not only disseminated, but also co-created, filtered by algorithms and consumed in information bubbles?

In this new ecosystem, does the role of freedom of the press and freedom of information face innovative challenges or not?

Do populism and disinformation find fertile ground in this scenario?

Are populist models exploiting these new communication dynamics?

Are political projects using them to bypass the traditional press, communicating directly with voters via social media, bypassing journalistic scrutiny and information gatekeepers?

Could it be that by exploiting polarisation algorithms, digital platforms tend to reward the most interactive and emotional content to amplify disinformation and divisions?

Is disinformation being used as a political weapon, intentionally creating and disseminating fake news to attack opponents, manipulate perceptions and delegitimise democratic processes?

Do such scenarios not require communication theories to adapt and the legal framework to transform to respond effectively?

Have the freedoms of the press and information, which were once the shield against tyranny, now also become a battlefield where the truth is disputed and disinformation is a powerful tool?

These are complex questions that may require even more complex answers.

Nothing is easy to interpret and decide.

Fake profiles, operating anonymously and often in a coordinated manner, will be vehicles for spreading distorted narratives, half-truths and outright lies. They aim to manipulate public opinion, influencing elections, referendums and plebiscites, and polarising social debate.

All of this, as well as being complex, is worrying. We think this is a reasonable conclusion.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to reflect on this systemic complexity and consider whether or not effective measures need to be taken.

What we do know is that the European Union has responded with regulatory frameworks such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), such as the Code of Conduct on Disinformation.

The credibility of information, communication literacy and the dignity of every citizen deserve protection.

This seems obvious to us.

Thank you for this latest edition of the Azorean Law Days. Thank you for your generous and proficient contribution. Who knows, maybe another disruptive historical cycle will emerge. I urge the organisers to continue with these days, which are always held here in the Azores.

I have said! 

Thank you very much for your attention."