Lisbon mayor accused of ‘boycotting’ slavery memorial

The mayor of Lisbon is facing accusations of deliberately obstructing the construction of Portugal’s first memorial to the victims of slavery.

The project, proposed over five years ago by the Association of Portuguese Afro-descendants (DJASS), aims to honor the victims of the transatlantic slave trade.

The memorial envisioned as rows of black-painted sugar cane, was planned to be erected in Campo das Cebolas, a central square near the Tagus River in Lisbon.

However, despite being approved and funded by the city council, the construction has faced significant delays.

DJASS stated that obstacles were created, including changes in building materials and budget, as well as a request for less sugarcane.

The mayor’s office has not provided immediate comment on the accusations.

Portugal’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, where millions of Africans were forcibly transported and sold as slave laborers, is not extensively taught in schools, and the country’s colonial past is often viewed with pride rather than acknowledging its role in slavery.

Although Carlos Moedas, a center-right politician, was elected mayor in 2021, the memorial’s construction only resumed in September of the same year.

The mayor’s office cited the lack of approval from the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and the Lisbon Parking Company as reasons for the delay.

The mayor’s office proposed an alternative location for the memorial, described by DJASS as a narrow street leading to a pier and a parking lot near the Lisbon cruise terminal.

DJASS criticized the city government for its negligent and disrespectful handling of the project, accusing it of boycotting the memorial.

With information from Reuters

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