The Portuguese American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS), a national organization advocating on behalf of the Portuguese-American community, has sent a letter to Portugal’s Secretary of State of Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes requesting quick action on behalf of the Portuguese government regarding the state of Portuguese consulate services throughout the United States.
The PALCUS Board of Directors is geographically diverse with representatives located in all the key communities. The Board has spent considerable time consulting the community, gathering data, discussing and reflecting on the situation and determined that these issues could not go unaddressed any longer. The letter sent to Secretary Nunes includes a comprehensive list of issues that our community has been facing for several years, and that have been getting progressively worse. With every issue raised, PALCUS offers a solution.
Angela Simões, chair of the PALCUS board wrote: “On a weekly basis, we receive inquiries and complaints from our members and the community about their struggles in getting what they need from their local consulate, asking if there is anything that PALCUS can do to help them. Consular service issues from the West coast to the East coast are generating a very high level of frustration among the Portuguese community when dealing with most offices.”
As a voice for the Portuguese-American community, PALCUS felt compelled to reach out to Portuguese officials, at the highest level, in order to resolve these issues.
The consular services are essential to our community and to the image of Portugal in the United States. Chairwoman Simões concluded in the letter to Dr. Berta Nunes: “The Portuguese community should be respected, valued and appreciated.”
For more information, contact PALCUS at palcus@palcus.org or call 202-466-4664.
