Asked by journalists at the end of the eighth meeting at Infarmed, in Lisbon, which brings together experts, politicians and social partners to analyze the epidemiological situation of covid-19 in Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa argued that the country's external image is “generically very positive ”.

According to the President of the Republic, the opinion of other heads of state, heads of government, or “what is read in the foreign press” are an example of this, despite what was the “internal perception” that “dominated the last few weeks as for the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region ”.

"The general perception is such that I was in the Azores only yesterday and in several international newspapers there was talk of the paradise that is the Azores", he said, highlighting "the importance for tourism" and the arrival of the first organized tourist groups in the Algarve .

Thus, in the perspective of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “the truth and the transparency that has been, and should continue to be, regarding the numbers in the evolution of the outbreak” did not harm “the external image of the country”.

“I'm not concerned anymore. I will even say that, I do not mean that I am less worried, that the Portuguese misinterpret me there, but looking at the numbers, including the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, I would say that with those explanatory clues I gave, I feel that the drop in the number of deaths, the control situation in the SNS - current and the potentially future forecast - all of this leads me to understand that if the Portuguese continue on a level of responsibility that they have generally shown, that the evolution will be positive and that it's good for everyone, ”he replied.

For the President of the Republic, “the Portuguese have to realize that Portugal is not an abstract reality” and, therefore, “everything that goes well, in the compatibility between life, health, economy and society, employment, salary situation, start of companies, it is good for each of the Portuguese ”.

“If you ask me, I'm more concerned, I'm not. I'm not worried anymore. I feel that what is happening is being carefully monitored and I hope that the numbers confirm a positive evolution throughout the country in the coming weeks ”, he assured.