Lisbon, March 5, 2026 (Lusa) - A group of Portuguese nationals stranded in Qatar due to the conflict in the Middle East on Thursday expressed their dissatisfaction to Lusa with the Portuguese Government's lack of "viable solutions" for leaving the region.
In response to Lusa, a source from the ministry of foreign affairs assured that there is a solution and that it is "currently being dealt with and will not be made public to ensure the safety of Portuguese citizens".
Lusa sought further clarification on the situation of Portuguese nationals stranded in the Middle East, including Qatar, but was unable to obtain a response.
Three Portuguese nationals who arrived in Qatar on 27 February but ended up stranded due to the start of the Israeli-American attack on Iran, which resulted in Tehran's response against several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, expressed dissatisfaction with the proposal presented today by the Portuguese Embassy in Doha.
According to the communication to the stranded Portuguese citizens, to which the Lusa agency had access, ground transport to Riyadh is proposed, made available "especially to Portuguese nationals stranded in Qatar, i.e. those who were there on holiday or in transit at the time of the closure of the airspace".
The Portuguese embassy stressed in the same communication that the transport "only goes as far as Riyadh" and that citizens must make a reservation on a commercial flight "with the possibility of changing the date" before travelling by bus.
"Taking into account the instructions from the Qatari authorities to remain sheltered at home and avoid going out on the streets, the Embassy can organise and provide ground transport to Riyadh, but cannot guarantee safety during the journey or at any point during the trip. The decision to participate in this transport is therefore strictly personal and the sole responsibility of each citizen, who must weigh up the risks associated with travelling in the region at this time, including possible changes related to Saudi Arabian airspace. Participation requires the prior signing of an individual liability agreement," it added.
José Camilo, one of the three Portuguese nationals stranded in Qatar who spoke to the Lusa news agency today, stressed that since the beginning of the conflict and the closure of the airspace, they have been staying in a hotel at their own expense and have been in contact with Portuguese diplomats to find a solution.
On Wednesday evening, the embassy sent this proposal to a WhatsApp group of 56 people, which José Camilo considers "completely impractical".
"The Portuguese government has a real responsibility, now and in the future, because it has led us to remain passive. If we are in a bad situation, our families are even more concerned because of the Portuguese government's stance," he said, questioning how the ministry of foreign affairs "does not have the capacity to handle 56 repatriations".
These Portuguese nationals, who were on a tourist trip and stopped in Qatar before returning to Lisbon, consider the embassy's proposal unreasonable because it only arranges ground transport to Riyadh at a time when there is no guarantee of departure from Saudi Arabia.
"At this stage, there is a likelihood that things will get worse. Qatar still has defense capabilities, but it is clear that these capabilities are not infinite," José Camilo emphasized.
This Portuguese citizen also said that he responded to the proposal by expressing his concerns, and added that other Portuguese citizens had asked for further explanations in the same WhatsApp group, but noted that as of 11 p.m. (Portuguese time) they had been "waiting four hours without a response."
The group of Portuguese citizens who spoke to Lusa also asked for a "less risky solution" to return to Portugal.
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Lusa
