The President of the Government conveyed in San José, California, the "great pride" felt by the Azores in their emigrant communities. Nonetheless, Vasco Cordeiro stressed that those who departed to other lands in search for a better life should be proud of the progress achieved the Region over almost four decades of Autonomy.

"We take pride in your decision to improve your life and that of your children in other countries, without neglecting your feeling of 'Azoreanity'. This path was marked by difficulties, challenges and the constant feeling of longing," said Vasco Cordeiro at a meeting with the Azorean community residing in San José.

In his speech, the President of the Government highlighted the successful integration of Azorean emigrants in the host communities and defended the importance of their contribution to the development of these communities, which demonstrated what "Azorean people know and can do."

However, Vasco Cordeiro stressed that the Azoreans living in the diaspora must be have "pride in the Azores as well as in progress achieved by the Azoreans who stayed in their land."

"They should be proud of what has been accomplished in the Region over nearly 40 years of Autonomy," the President of the Government stressed, pointing out the areas of health, education, road networks, ports and airports as some of the "achievements that are the result of our hard work and sacrifice."

For the President of the Government, "the path followed over the past decades is the best guarantee that the Azoreans are able to overcome the challenges of the present and the future."

Vasco Cordeiro also addressed the need to build a new relation with the new generations of youngsters of Azorean descent. He defended that "we cannot confound the affective ties of those who know the land where they were born with the pride that new generations have in the path followed by their parents and grandparents to give them a better future."

"Honouring and respecting those who were able to make thousands and thousands of miles to settle in an unknown land in search for a better future is a good way to build this relation," said the government official.

In response to a major concern of the Azorean emigrant community in California, the President of the Government admitted that "things did not go well" this year with regard to the air transport services provided by SATA. Nonetheless, "we need to be aware about the areas where we need to improve."

Vasco Cordeiro emphasised that "it is not possible to say that everything will be okay" overnight; however, he assured that "the Government will continue to draw special attention to the efforts undertaken by SATA to better serve emigrant communities."