The Minister of Internal Affairs said yesterday that the new commander of the GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana, an elite police Portuguese police force) in the Azores, the first woman to take on the role of commander of a Territorial Command, is an example of promotion and equality in the security forces.
“It’s further proof that Portugal and the Portuguese can count on security forces that are increasingly modern and that in our society they are an example of promotion and equality between men and women,” said Margarida Blasco, in Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel.
Yesterday, the minister presided over the swearing-in session of the new Azores GNR Territorial Command commander, Colonel Cláudia Santos, who succeeds Colonel José Vieira.
In her speech, she also said that, for the government, “promoting diversity, inclusion and equality is not simply an option, it is a duty and an obligation.”
“This is the path to a country that we all want to be fairer, more cohesive and more sustainable. This is the path to a country with more ambition,” she said.
Margarida Blasco congratulated the general commander of the GNR, Lieutenant General Rui Veloso, for providing the moment which, “as well as being historic, reveals the values and virtues” on which his command is based.
“The ability of the Guard under your leadership to keep its identity and centuries-old traditions alive while promoting innovation, progress and modernization is worthy of praise. A courageous institution committed to the constitutional framework of the democratic rule of law, defending and promoting humanist and universal values. An institution focused on people and free from prejudice,” she said.
The head of the Internal Administration portfolio also said that Cláudia Santos’s appointment “is not just a symbolic milestone; it is, above all, the recognition of a career marked by excellence, commitment to public service, and her unique ability to command.”


“Today we are not celebrating the fact that she is a woman, but we are celebrating the merit of a woman. The merit that is the result of the dedication and competence of an officer who has earned this leadership position with great skill,” she said.
Margarida Blasco also told the new commander of the GNR in the Azores that she could count on “the full support of the government.”
“We know that there is always concern about human resources and the need for better facilities, better vehicles and better equipment. We know that your challenge is great, but you should also know that the government is doing everything it can and will continue to do to ensure the best and most dignified working conditions for the men and women who carry out their activities in the GNR and in this Territorial Command,” she said.
Colonel Cláudia Santos said in her speech that she took up the post “with high institutional responsibility and deep personal pride”.
Speaking to journalists, she said that her priorities are security and coastal control missions, as well as customs and environmental missions, “in cooperation with all entities.”
For his part, the general commander of the GNR, Rui Veloso, said that Cláudia Santos has a huge responsibility: “To command a Territorial Command is to courageously accept the noblest and highest responsibility, as well as the grateful privilege of being able to contribute to the higher purposes of freedom and security in the communities we selflessly serve.”
As part of her trip to the Azores, the minister attended meetings with the GNR and PSP commands to assess the operational apparatus and resources.
The national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, told journalists on the sidelines of yesterday’s ceremony that the institution does everything it can to ensure that police officers and technical staff supporting operational activity have “the best working conditions to better serve the population.”

In Diário dos Açores, Osvaldo Cabral, director

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