Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa awarded Betarma the Order of Merit with the rank of Officer.
“It is an appreciation for the efforts and hard work that has been done over the years. I am proud of the work I did and the decoration I received,” Luis Pitarma told Lusa.
Soon after his release from St. Thomas, in London, where he was hospitalized for a week in April 2020 with worsening symptoms, including three nights in intensive care, Boris Johnson posted a video on the social network Twitter in which he thanked the various health professionals he considered saved his life. Life, highlighting the Portuguese whom he called “Louis of Portugal.”
“I took care of the PM as I would anyone else,” Pitarma asserted, sharing that distinction with many other Portuguese nurses working in the UK: “I am sure my colleagues are doing as excellent a job as the one I did.”
Two years after the incident, he revealed that the case was still a cause for “jokes” with his co-workers, but he did not hide that he was angry at the recent scandal of illegal parties during the pandemic at Johnson’s Downing Street headquarters.
“I don’t think it was the best move. There should be more consideration, more respect for the British people and for all the people who have made efforts to combat this pandemic, especially in the UK.”
At the Portugal Day event in London with the Portuguese community, the dancer Marcelino Sambi was also distinguished, receiving the Military Order of Santiago da Espada with the rank of knight.
The General Coordinator for Education in the United Kingdom, Regina Duarte, founder of the Anglo-Portuguese School of London, and academic Susana Frazao Pinheiro, have been appointed Leaders of the Order of General Education.
The President of the Republic is in London between today and Sunday to celebrate Portugal Day with the Portuguese community in the United Kingdom.
When he took office in 2016, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, jointly with Antonio Costa, and with the participation of both of them, launched an unprecedented model of dual celebrations on the 10th of June, first in Portugal and later with Portuguese communities. Abroad.
In 2016 between Lisbon and Paris, in 2017 between Porto and Brazil, in 2018 between the Azores and the USA, and in 2019 between Portalegre and Cape Verde. In 2020 and last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marcelo and Costa suspended their participation in 10 Di Junho out of the country.
The President of the Republic begins on Saturday morning at the Anglo-Portuguese School in London, then goes to Royal Brompton and Harefield and has lunch with representatives of the Portuguese community associated with the arts.
In the afternoon, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Antonio Costa visited Imperial College – the last point of the official program identified so far. The President of the Republic will leave on Sunday at 12:00 for Andorra.
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