The descendants of Azorean emigrants in California alone outnumber the Azoreans currently residing in the Azores. If we add those living along the East Coast of the United States, the figures rise dramatically. Yet, however profound the bonds may be with the land of their birth, or that of their parents and grandparents, those attachments tend to be more poetic than practical when it comes to investing in the Azores and contributing to the development of our economy. With no significant renewal of the emigrant population, and because Azorean emigration—unlike emigration from mainland Portugal to other European countries—was never characterized by a tradition of eventual return, people emigrated to stay, to put down roots in their adopted country. Consequently, the tangible reasons for investing in the islands have gradually diminished, particularly among those who have achieved considerable success in life, even if coordinated opportunities for foreign investment were to become available.
There is another factor of no lesser significance: the North American diaspora is losing political weight and influence. Although it continues to play a prominent role in the economy, as is evident in California’s San Joaquin Valley, particularly in agriculture and livestock farming, its political influence has steadily declined, whether at the federal, state, or even county level—a striking departure from the circumstances of decades past. This is a phenomenon worthy of serious study, for it should matter greatly to us. The stronger the political presence of our communities within the various institutions of American society, the greater the international recognition and value of the geostrategic importance of our islands.
These reflections were prompted by remarks made by the President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, during the commemorative ceremony marking the 250th anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, held last weekend in Ponta Delgada. In his address, he emphasized the archipelago’s historical and strategic significance in relations between Portugal and the United States, advocating a deepening of transatlantic cooperation and the need to renew the strategic partnership with America. He underscored the historical role of Terceira Island and Lajes, while identifying new opportunities for collaboration in science, deep-sea exploration, renewable energy, technological innovation, education, and culture. In essence, to borrow his own words, the challenge is to transform geographical centrality into political, scientific, economic, and cultural centrality.
If the Azores fail to establish open, direct, and effective channels of communication with American institutions—channels capable of yielding tangible benefits—and instead remain waiting in the corridors of the Palácio das Necessidades, Portugal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we may well grow old sitting there. For the uncomfortable truth is that the Azores matter to Lisbon only insofar as they serve its own interests and enhance its political influence.
Picture from the Library of Congress.