Lisbon, July 31, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal's president begins a tour of five islands in the Azores on Thursday, where he will visit the Lajes Air Base and the village of Rabo de Peixe and participate in a briefing on the geostrategic importance of the archipelago's sea.

According to the programme released by the Regional Government, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will visit the Lajes Air Base on Terceira Island in the late morning, before heading to Pico Island, where he will visit the Azores Wine Company and meet with producers and economic agents from the wine sector.

The second day of the visit, on Friday, will be dedicated to the island of Faial, beginning with a visit to the Institute for Marine Science Research of the University of the Azores - Okeanos, followed in the afternoon by a briefing on the strategic value of the autonomous region's maritime cluster.

On Saturday, the Head of State will begin the day with a visit to the village of Rabo de Peixe, on the island of São Miguel, where he will go to the fishing port and attend an event promoting Azores meat at the island's agricultural association.

On the last day of his visit, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be inducted into the brotherhood of São Jorge cheese, one of the archipelago's best-known products, at a ceremony to be held in the district of Velas.

Since taking office as head of state for the first time in 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has visited the Azores several times, including official visits to various islands and for the 2018 Portugal Day celebrations, which began in Ponta Delgada and continued with Portuguese emigrants and people of Portuguese descent on the east coast of the United States.

PC/AYLS // AYLS

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