An ambassador’s postbag usually consists of a few gold-edged invitations to
state occasions – instead, Antonio Santana Carlos is swamped by emotional
letters from the British public about the disappearance of a little girl.
After Madeleine McCann went missing, the onslaught was overwhelmingly
negative. Now, he says, it is mixed – the impassioned camp of
Portuguese-blamers, joined by those who condemn the parents, with a lunatic
fringe unhealthily excited by the case and who think that they know where
the body is. Six months on the mail keeps coming.
Perhaps initially it was some relief for Mr Santana Carlos to come to London
after years of conducting highly sensitive negotiations over the hand-over
of Macau to China. But only six months after he arrived in Britain the
McCann case broke and he was back in a diplomatic minefield.
Some reports in the British press branded the Portuguese police as lazy,
inept, secretive and drunk and, in the hysteria, an impression was created
that the place was a haven for paedophiles. Relaying these reports back to
his home country gave Mr Santana Carlos a heavy heart – they caused uproar
among his fellow citizens.
The drowning of a group of British holidaymakers in the Algarve this week has
added to the tensions. Britain and Portugal have, as he said, “the oldest
alliance in the world” between two states, dating back to 1386, still
flourishing in the form of two million British tourists visiting Portugal
every year. Now things are looking jittery.
Although he appreciates that both countries have a free press, Mr Santana
Carlos is concerned at the hostile tone of some of the coverage of the
Madeleine investigation, with insults bandied back and forth.
“If you like to see Madeleine back then we have to work together and to stop
blaming one or the other . . . to blame the other side does not give
Madeleine back to the parents.”
At a political level, the two countries were as close as ever, he insisted,
but as for public opinion: “I have been approached by people that, of
course, don’t understand why we couldn’t find Madeleine McCann. Some other
people blame the other side. And so there are some mixed feelings but again
I think that we continue to do our utmost to find her.”
Even in the earliest days the intense publicity was causing problems. “The
issue became so hot and so high on the news that, in a way, could be
conducive to get those that have abducted Madeleine McCann perhaps to fear
that they will be prosecuted and they could not escape.”
This isn’t the most diplomatic of remarks, to suggest that the publicity for
the case sought by the parents might have harmed their hopes of a rescue. Mr
Santana Carlos’s conversation is peppered with comments that could, in the
present overwrought mood, make you draw breath. It seems impossible that he
is unaware of the sensitivities. Maybe he is unusually frank, or perhaps
just frustrated?
Take his main message: that Portugal is safe and, in particular, safer than
Britain. It has an exceptionally low crime rate, he says, and Lisbon was
judged the safest capital in the EU in a survey by the UN and Gallup this
year. London was the most dangerous. “You have many more cases of abductions
than Portugal, and nobody talks about that, but this case has come up very,
very high in the news.”
It might be “interesting”, he suggested, “to investigate and show the
statistics”. According to his press attaché, there have been three missing
children in ten years in Portugal. According to a Home Office analyst, there
have been dozens of abductions by strangers in Britain, although most of
those children were found within 24 hours.
The ambassador added: “We are a peaceful country. We don’t have terrorism in
Portugal.”
The British are the second most important tourism market for Portugal, after
visitors from Spain. Although holiday bookings are holding up, it probably
won’t be clear until next year whether the McCann case has hit the industry.
But this week the news was again dominated by tragic reports of British
holidaymakers in the Algarve.
Pictures of rescued children shivering on a beach as they waited to hear that
their parents had died trying to rescue them were beamed on to the front
pages, amid criticism that the dangerous beach had inadequate warning signs,
and only in Portuguese.
“Unfortunately, that beach was very close to a cape,” said the ambassador,
with a rueful shake of the head. “I know it because I’m a sailing man.
Sometimes the seas there can be somewhat rough. Perhaps they were not aware.
That’s very unfortunate. And they tried to rescue their children, and they
died. So very unfortunate.”
He conceded that warning signs might need to be clearer outside of the summer
season, during which all beaches in Portugal are manned by lifeguards.
He dismissed suggestions, hyped up by British newspapers, that the surviving
adults could face criminal prosecution in Portugal. “Some people always like
to explore the negatives. I’m not informed about that, but I don’t think the
Portuguese police will do something like that.” And suddenly he added:
“Regarding Madeleine McCann, even in this country I think that there could
have been some judicial procedure against the parents because they left the
children alone. According to British law, as far as I know, such an
initiative could have been taken.”
His point is that the authorities are sensible enough to gauge when “for human
reasons” prosecution would be inappropriate – and he did immediately add
that the McCann parents were dining “so near by”.
There were, Mr Santana Carlos said, cultural differences that made the
behaviour of the parents hard to justify to the Portuguese. It is far less
common there for children to be left behind while parents go out.
“As Latins, we have the concept of the nuclear family – that the family lives
all together. I think the children in this country are more independent than
they are in Latin countries. That was a cultural problem. Normally, the kids
are always surrounded by the parents, by the family. This is a different
pattern.”
Did the Portuguese find it difficult to understand why the McCanns left the
children alone? “For some people, yes. For those people, in particular, that
live in the countryside who have that concept of the nuclear family.”
It is hard not to sense an implicit note of disapproval of British ways in the
comparison. But he quickly added: “For Portuguese people that live in urban
centres perhaps that is different you know, because their day-to-day lives
are not that easy, and their children have to live somewhat on their own.
But again, what I think is essential is that we have to work together and
stop blaming the other side.”
What could he do to repair the British trust in Portugal, if indeed it had
been damaged? Reassure the British that “we continue to do our utmost to
find her. That is our main objective.”
He respects the McCanns for their resolve. “We shall not lose hope and that’s
something I admire in the McCanns. They are very determined.”
Mr Santana Carlos is going to have to live with them for many months to come.
Would it ever end? “I think the only way out is to find her.”
Portugal is a great country with really nice people. A wonderful place to visit. As in all countries, a small element spoil it for the majority. Those who took Madeleine need to be found and punished. There is still strong evidence that Madeleine will be returned soon, unharmed.
Chris, London,
Yeah...the British are SUCH polite tourists....sheesh!
George, Des Moines, Iowa
Madam Karlsen, you complain that the Portuguese do not have bilingual warning signs posted. Yet I do not recall any bilingual warning signs in England when we vacationed there in 2001. The only bilingual signs I saw when we were at the railway stations where the town name was posted in English and Scots Gaelic or Welsh.
Do I detect a bit of a double standard? When we visited Mexico I got a copy of the road signs in Spanish and taught her what they meant. We did the same when we visited France. Expecting the world to wallpaper itself with English signs is silly.
By the way the people of Portugal speak Portuguese, not Spanish.
Margaret, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
I congratulate the Portugal's Ambassador by his reasonable thoughts about Madeleine's case and the drowning of British citizens in Portugal. I have four children and I never let them alone to go out at night and I would never do it even in the safest country in the world. My country (Brazil) has a lot of security problems, drug dealer's war, robbery and so on but we do not have terrorists and generally we are a peaceful people as the Portuguese are. I am a journalist and I know that the Press exaggerated a lot in the McCann's case unfortunately a sad one that could happen in any country. Portugal a peaceful country was damaged by a case that in other country would be treated as Police's case only not involving the country itself. As Mr. Santana said there were more kidnapping in Britain than Portugal. The focus on terrorism in Great Britain went so far killing an innocent Brazilian worker with seven shots in the tube and the Policemen will never be real punished because of that.
Paulo Gross, Florianopolis, Brazil, Santa Catarina
Leaving small children unattended is most unwise no matter what country you're from or in!
Theodore M. Van oosbree, La Mesa, USA/California
I really dont care very much for the tone and comments of the Portuguese Ambassador to the UK.
His comments are hardly diplomatic!
Lia, London, Uk
Maybe the British should look a bit to themselves. The "normal" behavior of some mass tourists in Portugal is something that every civilized human should be ashamed of: constant drunkenness, fighting scenes, provocative actions.
And has for the drownings, the sea IS NOT A POOL. It has rips, waves, and the water moves fast. Surfers are always getting tourists out of the water (in this specific case, two local kids brought the children in, but they where too week to be able to get the parents due to the strong rips). Most tourists don't have the slightest idea on how to behave on open ocean beaches. Prevention and information should be given by the tour operators. Until then, this cases will continue to happen.
Ricardo Novaes, San Francisco, Califórnia
Well done, Mr Santana Carlos.
If the British police is more competent why haven't they found Madeleine yet? It has been said that the Portuguese and British Police are working together.
Sandra , Jersey, Channel Islands
I know my country well (Portugal) and crime is low. Probably the safest EU country.
I lived in UK 1 year and spent plenty of time in USA and the only think I can say is that I felt unsafe and presenced things I have never seen in Portugal.
Regarding culture, there are also big gaps specially in what comes to family behaviours. It is only a question of looking at the independent UNICEF report. Children are in fact better taken care of (in average) in South Europe vs Northen Europe.
Ant, Lisbon,
Birgitta:
In Portugal we speak Portuguese...not spanish! Ok? Not difficult, i think...
Sandra, Lisboa, Portugal
No need to treat us portuguese as being from other planet...we are very proud to be a peaceful, free of terrorism and updated/upminded country.
It seems that the interest of the media ( specially the british one ) is to forget the fact that the parents were negligent and have now very strong political forces supporting them...If they were poor/common people no one would be now discussing and using offensive terms.
It seems that the important now is to "absolve" them instead of foccusing in what really matters: to know what happened to Madeleine.. the only victim in this sad case.
Maria Santana, Porto, Portugal
As portuguese I would like to inform Mrs. Birgitta Karlsen, Bolton, England, that our language is Portuguese, not Spanish! And by the, there isn't any "Spanish" language" what most of the Spanish talks is Castelean.
Also we don't have bilingue signs in Portugal (and why not add Castelean to?) and I do hope we'll never have. I'd never saw any other country with signs in portuguese why the hell should it be english signs in Portugal? Because you're tourists? Why don't you bother to learn other languages?
It's a peaty that you english still dream with the Empire where the sun never goes down. Wake up, those times are gone.
António Silva, Porto, Portugal
When the adults drowned some things happened previously. I live in Sagres, where it happened, and talked to some people who were on the beach.
Children and one adult went to the sea. They were in trouble. Children started to scream. They were lucky to return safely to shore when one of the waves brought them. They were then warned not to go inside the sea again, especially there, near the rock where all kinds of currents flow. It was no use, as 20 minutes later the same three were in the ocean again.
I watch many times as the lifeguards warn people not to go into the sea, when there is a red flag. And stil people do. I'm very sorry about what happened but no one who was there doubts they were wrong to go into the sea a second time.
Luis, Sagres, Portugal
Ten years ago, a british child dissapear in Portugal. Result: a british citizen, friend of the child's family, was arrested for murder. I wonder if this happened again.
Duarte
Duarte, Oporto,
Portugal is the best
kim, oporto, portugal
Madeleine was'nt abducted because her parents are bad or leaved her alone, she disappeared because a awful person made something very awful to her !
nicole, obernai, france
Other reports say 31 children went missing in Portugal last year. Which is correct? Sometimes, tourist destinations have low crime rates because crimes are underreported, not because fewer crimes are committed. Just something to keep in mind when reading crime statistics.
Mary, Oklahoma, USA
June 2002: Danielle Van Dam: 7 yrs, San Diego, Ca--snatched from her upstairs bedroom, raped and killed. Father & 2 brothers at home.
2004 California: Polly Klaus 12yrs. Snatched from own bedroom,raped & killed. Father at home.
2004 California: Samantha Runion 5 yrs. Broad daylight snatched in front of mothers condo, raped & killed. Mother at home.
John Walsh of Americas Most Wanted. Young son snatched from busy Sears store Hollywood Florida while mom shopped. Later found his head in Florida canal--no torso found.
Elizabeth Smart: Salt Lake City. Taken from here bedroom in front of younger brother. Parents home. Months later she was spotted on a street with her abductors and rescued. Only the relentless publicity with posters, newspapers and TV saved
this girl.
Most cases these kids were targeted. Abductors just don't
break into house and happen to find a child. The parents being
at home is no assurance if a pedophile targets a child.
Richard Baker, Boynton Beach, Florida
Things you forgot to say:
The UK National Police Missing Persons Bureau says there are 124 unsolved cases of children younger than 14 years old in the UK.
Half of the residents in Praia da Luz are British.
The British kids had been warned not to go to the water and they were saved by Portuguese surfers.
Maria, Lisbon,
Birgitta Karlsen, Bolton, England well said! However if you thought about it, you would have realized that the reason the UK is more experienced in investigation and detection is because of the higher number of crimes. So to say "Evidently the PJ are not" is to criticize them for having less crime. Is that a bad thing?
Eduardo M. Cordeiro, Beverly, Ma, USA
I feel Mr. Santana Carlos is right that publicity has made finding what happened to Madeleine more unlikely but I don’t blame her parents for trying. I’m sure the UK has many more cases of child abduction than Portugal, but we are also more experienced in investigation and detection. Evidently the PJ are not.
I don’t understand why the McCanns left their children alone either; why could they not have ordered a takeway? That’s we we did in Greece when our children were young. If the McCanns had been a couple from a council estate in England and left their children alone there, people would have been baying for their blood and prosecution more likely.
With regard to the drowning in the Algarve, why bring this into the discussion. Unfortunately, plenty of people drown in England when there are warning signs displayed. It is a horrible thing to happen but it can happen anywhere.
Birgitta Karlsen, Bolton, England
He says that we have to find her and that it is no use blaminng portugal or the police but then he goes on to slag Britain off!
This man really needs to find out what hypocrisy means - or in Spainish 'hipocresÃa' seeing as they can't be bothered to put up signs in English for their second most important tourism market.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!
kim, london,
If portuguese police is not good enough british investigators and laboratories are so good why the results take so long to be known? And why can't the phone call registers come more quickly for the portuguese police be allowed to work?
Maria, Lisboa, Portugal
Indeed here in Spain we have had a few terrible cases of british delinquents who have relocated to properties in Spain and probably to Portugal too.
Aa, Madrid, Spain
Well said Mr. Santana Carlos.
LS Wagner, Nuremberg, Germany
I have read this most recent and rather political news story re Madeleine and most interesting of all the bottom line reads .......find her - please just repeat those words a million times over - no matter who is speaking, and what is said bottom line is Find Her.
doreen , Brockville, canada