"As an airport, it symbolises travel, escape, freedom and, in a way, it has this connection to the act of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who allowed the escape, the freedom and, with that, the survival of thousands of people", defended José Dias Batista.

The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, announced on the 14th that the Government has approved the construction of the new airport for the Lisbon region at the Alcochete Firing Range, to be called the Luís de Camões Airport, with a view to completely replacing Humberto Delgado Airport.

The Air Force Firing Range, also known as the Alcochete Firing Range (due to its proximity to this urban area), is mostly located in the parish of Samora Correia, in the municipality of Benavente (district of Santarém), with a small part in the parish of Canha, in the municipality of Montijo (district of Setúbal).

The creator of the petition admitted that the idea "is a little reactive", as it would have been more timely if it had been launched before the Government's decision.

"But I believe that there is still time, because the airport has not yet been built", added the creator of the public petition to use the name Aristides Sousa Mendes, the "man who disobeyed the famous circular 14 to save lives".

And that attitude "allowed people to travel, not by plane, but clandestinely and, once they arrived in Portugal, they travelled by plane to many other countries, such as the United States of America (USA).

This idea "did not arise with the intention of belittling the greatest name in Portuguese literature, which is Luís Vaz de Camões, but the reality is that his name is already given to many institutions, buildings and avenues".

"And Aristides de Sousa Mendes seems to only live in Carregal do Sal and in the memory of the descendants of the refugees who were saved thanks to our consul, when in reality he should be alive in all Portuguese people", he defended.

Those who arrive in Portugal by plane will be "curious to know who Aristides de Sousa Mendes was and this will help to reinforce and make known the heroic act" of the former consul of Bordeaux who lived between 1885 and 1954.

"This conviction to help, to allow people to have hope for the future. It would be good if we all had a little bit of Aristides de Sousa Mendes, especially when we have to make decisions, and it is this humanism that we have to keep alive", he pointed out.

José Dias Batista also considered that, with the name of the former diplomat at the airport, the Government would be "investing in the entire Beira region up to the border", from Cabanas de Viriato, where the Aristides de Sousa Mendes House-Museum will be inaugurated on July 19, the 70th anniversary of his death, to Vilar Formoso, where the Peace Border Museum, dedicated to refugees, is located.

"There is this current of cohesion and of finding ways to develop the interior, and a measure like this would also help the region, because I believe that many will want to know more about who gave the airport its name", he said.

Read Also: Alcochete, new bridge and TGV? "Government propaganda prevailed" (Portuguese version)