The Community that Does Not Communicate: Portugal, Lusa and the CPLP in Debt with History

Alípio Freeman"

At a time when the Portuguese language is spreading across continents and diverse communities, there is no escaping the urgency of a fundamental question: what are we doing with this common heritage? The answer, unfortunately, still carries more silence than action. Portugal, as a former colonial power, has a historical role that goes far beyond its past. It is a present and ongoing responsibility, especially with regard to promoting unity, understanding and mutual development among Portuguese-speaking countries. This responsibility is not only political; it is also cultural, ethical and deeply human. This is where institutions such as the Lusa Information Agency should emerge as active bridges between Portuguese-speaking peoples. But in practice, Lusa often fails to be this anchor. Its actions, which are too institutional, uncritical and often out of date, not only deprive its audience of timely information, but also fail to respond to the challenges of the present time. Instead of providing impartial information and promoting fundamental rights, the agency runs the risk of becoming a sounding board for the established powers, refusing to open up space for serious and structuring debates on the future of Portuguese-speaking societies. It is deeply disturbing that, in the digital age, agencies from non-Portuguese-speaking countries are more proactive and in-depth in their coverage of the reality of the PALOP countries, even when political, social and environmental events are multiplying the challenges faced by people in these communities. The Lusa agency should break down borders, as its name suggests, and it is not just about having offices in all Portuguese-speaking countries, but about taking a more proactive stance on behalf of a global community, since there are people with pain and hopes in the former Portuguese colonies. The problem is not just Lusa's. It reflects the greater inertia of the CPLP itself, which has lost its way amid diplomatic ceremonies and behind-the-scenes moves. The organization that should be a symbol of cultural and human cooperation has become, for many, an invisible entity devoid of any real social impact. The CPLP urgently needs to reshape itself. It needs to leave the conference rooms and enter the streets, schools, debate centers and the media. The CPLP is made up of people and living cultures, who cry out, even if silently, for a space to be heard, for inclusive policies, for communication that unites and inspires. The time for vague promises is over. What is required now is action, courage and historical vision. Portugal has the opportunity to lead this process, not out of imperial nostalgia, but out of a commitment to shared dignity. But to do so, it needs to reform its institutions, revitalize its press and, above all, view the peoples of the Portuguese-speaking world as full partners and not as appendages of an unresolved past. The Portuguese-speaking community can still be a force in the world. But to do so, it must first learn to communicate with itself truthfully, respectfully and with a future.

2025/12/3