Situation Report Azores Thursday 4th December 2025 

 

Man murdered by his sister in Vila Franca do Campo

A 50-year-old man was murdered on Tuesday afternoon in Vila Franca do Campo. His 60-year-old sister is the main suspect.

The homicide occurred within the context of a domestic violence case, with the alleged aggressor, who was intoxicated, violently stabbing the victim in the torso area after a family argument.

Despite being transported to the Hospital of the Holy Spirit in Ponta Delgada, the man passed away.

The newspaper understands that the main suspect, according to the authorities, has not yet been arrested because she is currently in the psychiatric ward of the HDES hospital, and should be arrested as soon as she is discharged.

 

The Government of the Azores is conducting statutory visits to the islands of Flores and Corvo.

The Government of the Azores is conducting statutory visits to the islands of Flores and Corvo on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a program that includes meetings with mayors and members of the Island Councils.

 

Consortium submits proposal to purchase 85% of Azores Airlines.

The Newtour/MS Aviation consortium – now known as Atlantic Connect Group – has formally submitted a binding offer to acquire 85% of the share capital of Azores Airlines, according to the only bidder admitted to the privatization process of the Azorean airline

 

Business leaders in the Azores say that tourism needs a “strategic vision”.

The president of the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPD) argued that the region needs a “strategic vision” for tourism and warned that late payments “weaken the treasury” of organizations.

 

Half of the people from the Azores cannot afford a week’s vacation away from home.

According to data from the INE (National Institute of Statistics), 50% of Azoreans cannot afford a week’s holiday away from home. This is the highest figure in Portugal, and the region leads negatively in several indicators of material and social deprivation

 

 

 

Situation Report: Azores –  Wednesday 29th October 2025

 

Summary

Adverse weather conditions have led to 32 reported incidents on São Miguel, including flooding and landslides. Authorities confirm that the situation is under control, with no injuries reported and minimal need for resident relocation.

São Miguel: Flooding and Landslides

• Incidents:
  Over the past few days, the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA) recorded 32 incidents across the municipalities of Ponta Delgada, Lagoa, and Ribeira Grande. These included flooding in homes and public roads, overflowing streams, and landslides.
• Feteiras Landslide:
  A landslide in the parish of Feteiras, Ponta Delgada, affected two homes but resulted in no injuries. Civil Protection teams assessed and stabilized the area, ensuring residents did not need to be relocated.
• Flooding Response:
  In Ponta Delgada, two people were temporarily relocated due to flooding in their home. The local fire department also safely removed a car stuck near the ANC station, with no casualties reported.
• Ribeira Grande:
  This area was among the most affected by heavy rain. Mayor Alexandre Gaudêncio confirmed that the situation has been resolved, with ongoing cleanup efforts and support for damaged homes. No families required relocation, but some homes sustained significant damage and may qualify for assistance.
• Municipal Response:
  Municipal teams were active from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., providing support and working to restore normality in the most affected areas.
• Official Statement:
  José Nuno Moniz, commander of the Humanitarian Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Ribeira Grande, assured that despite the number of incidents, “the situation is not alarming”.

São Jorge: Road Closure

• Fajã dos Cubres Access:
  Due to ongoing landslides caused by rain, the access road to Fajã dos Cubres remains closed. Residents can only travel at certain times and must use quad bikes.
• Background:
  The initial landslide occurred on October 9th, and the road has remained closed since, as further landslides occur with heavy rain. The municipality is awaiting a final report from the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC) to determine future measures.
• Emergency Plan:
  The Municipal Civil Protection Emergency Plan remains active, allowing controlled movement for residents based on weather conditions.

 

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 8th October 2025

Economic and Business Concerns in the Azores

The Azores Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIA) has called for the development of a contingency plan in case Azores Airlines is forced to close. This comes amid ongoing negotiations for the airline’s privatization with the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium. The Regional Government has indicated that, if no agreement is reached, the company may be closed.

Business leaders stress the importance of maintaining current air routes and frequencies and recommend that SATA Air Açores increase its inter-island flight capacity, especially during peak periods, to ensure the smooth movement of both tourists and residents.

The CCIA Forum, which brought together businesspeople and associations from across the Azores, has also highlighted several pressing economic issues. They urge that the region’s 2026 Plan and Budget prioritize the private sector and introduce measures to consistently reduce current expenses. The Forum warns of a worsening imbalance between revenues and expenditures, which is contributing to the region’s growing public debt. To address this, they propose a medium-term plan to reverse the debt trajectory and emphasize that continuous growth of regional public debt is unsustainable.

Additionally, the Forum draws attention to the low implementation rates of key European funding programs, such as the Azores 2030 Operational Program (PO) and the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). With the PRR’s implementation rate at just 42.7%, more than twice the amount already completed since 2021 must be achieved in less than a year. The Forum insists that accelerating the implementation of these funds should be a top priority for Azorean society in 2026.

Other recommendations include developing a robust strategy to address seasonality in tourism, reviewing the maritime transport model, and reforming both the Regional Finance Law and regional public administration. The Forum concludes that the Azores need a more agile, streamlined, and less bureaucratic administration, and should not remain isolated from national reforms.

Public Health Incident: Flea Infestation in Rabo de Peixe

A flea infestation has affected several schools in Rabo de Peixe, including the Ribeira Grande Vocational School, Luísa Constantina School, and Rui Galvão de Carvalho School. In response, the municipality has hired a company to disinfect the schools and surrounding streets as a precautionary measure. According to Mayor Alexandre Gaudêncio, there have been no reports of the infestation spreading to residential areas or public roads.

The outbreak was first reported near the Centre for Arts and Crafts (CAO), a municipal building used by the vocational school. The school conducted a general disinfection of the building and its surroundings, resulting in a temporary closure to ensure thorough cleaning. Later, the Rui Galvão de Carvalho School reported that the infestation had reached the area around Luísa Constantina School, affecting some teachers and students.

The municipality’s public health team, led by its full-time veterinarian, responded promptly, initiating intervention within 24 hours. Both Luísa Constantina and Rui Galvão de Carvalho schools will be closed for disinfection, with plans to resume activities the following day. The mayor noted that the spread of the infestation to another public school was unexpected, and the municipality hopes the hired company will identify the source of the problem.

While there is speculation about the possible link to illegal animal exploitation near the vocational school, as occurred in previous years, the mayor has not confirmed this as the cause. He explained that, in the past, municipal inspections resolved similar issues after giving deadlines for corrective action.

 

Azores Situation Report Wednesday 1st October 2025

Father and son share the ‘kingdom’ of Azorean cheeses

In the ‘kingdom’ of award-winning cheese in the Azores, father and son share the business in different establishments in Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel, being sought after by locals, tourists and emigrants.

Carlos Bernardo founded the Reis dos Queijos establishment 47 years ago, which has been managed for 15 years by one of his sons, Mário Bernardo, and sells 47 varieties of cheese, all of Azorean origin.

The establishment has since developed its own cheese, in a project in partnership with Lactaçor, which is “pasteurized and similar” in its characteristics to the Topo cheese from São Jorge.

Mário Bernardo also mentioned that emigrants “take whole wheels of cheese abroad,” as do mainland tourists.

Another son of the Rei dos Queijos, Milton Bernardo, has shared the cheese market with his father and brothers since he decided to leave and found Príncipe dos Queijos, also in Ponta Delgada.

His typical customer, including many from the mainland, is looking for “a strong, older cheese,” but spicy cheeses aren’t just sitting on the shelves.

Milton Bernardo says that emigrants in the United States and Canada are regular customers, who take the cheese vacuum-packed for the trip and transport it in a box, with the corresponding receipt and certificate due to the demands of the North American market.

“Many of them come to our store already referred by other emigrants who have been here,” he said.

Regarding his brother’s decision to start his own business and create Príncipe dos Queijos, Mário Bernardo says, “there’s business between both parties and a market for everyone,” making it “a consolidated market.”

Azorean cheeses have gained an international reputation thanks to their numerous awards, with São Jorge DOP cheese and its cured cheeses receiving gold medals and recognized for their quality and uniqueness in several categories at the World Cheese Awards.

São Miguel Old Cheese, aged for nine months, also received gold medals at the World Cheese Awards.

Azorean Milhafre Cheese, from Terceira and Graciosa Islands, was recognized with the Superior Taste Award 2022 and 2023, awarded by international judges, and was also named one of the country’s best cheeses in 2024.

Jury asked for “a few more days” to try to privatize Azores Airlines

The Government of the Azores guaranteed “permanent” respect for SATA workers and revealed that the jury for the privatization of Azores Airlines asked for “a few more days” to conclude the process and give “another chance” to the consortium.

On September 9, the Finance Secretary said he was committed to presenting a proposal for the privatization of Azores Airlines by the end of the month, warning that if this did not happen, the option would be “private negotiation” or the closure of the company.

This Tuesday, the governor admitted that “there was an expectation” of having by the end of September a “firm proposal or the final outcome of the process”, but said he respected the performance of the jury led by Augusto Mateus.

According to Duarte Freitas, the jury “intends to schedule a meeting by the end of the week” with the company’s management and the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium.

“As soon as the jury president can confirm this meeting, we will naturally have an idea of ​​the final date for the outcome,” he added.

The regional secretary recalled that the agreement with the European Commission obliges the region to “sell more than 50% of Azores Airlines and 100% of the handling”, highlighting the work of the Azorean executive in the negotiations to grant another guarantee to the group.

On the same day, the Government of the Azores authorized the airline SATA Air Açores to take out two new loans, totalling 40 million euros, to “support treasury resources”.Sure, I can help with that! Here is a rewritten version of your document: