The President of the Government of the Azores, Vasco Cordeiro, expressed his deep sorrow over the death of Artur da Cunha Oliveira, highlighting his "profound humanist values that have always guided his intellectual, civic and political action."
 
"In his various public duties, whether as a teacher at the Episcopal Seminary of Angra do Heroísmo or as Member of the European Parliament, among others, Artur da Cunha Oliveira has never given up his freedom to think about the Azores in terms of humanist values and social unrest," said Vasco Cordeiro.
 
According to the President of the Government, this "contribution to free thinking, combined with the performance of civic and cultural duties, namely at the Azorean Institute of Culture, was duly recognised by the Autonomous Region of the Azores" with the bestowal of the Autonomic Commendation of Recognition in 2010.
 
"The death of Cunha Oliveira is a great loss for all those who praise freedom of thought and action," said Vasco Cordeiro In this regard, the President of the Government recalled his career as professor at the Episcopal Seminary of Angra do Heroísmo, director of "A União" newspaper and co-founder of the Azorean Institute of Culture. He became permanent secretary of the Azores Study Weeks, an initiative promoted by that institute.
 
His long career also includes the chairmanship of the Administrative Committee of the General Council of the Autonomous District of Angra do Heroísmo. During his term, he organised the 1st Insular Meeting in Angra do Heroísmo and headed the delegation of Administrative Presidents of the General Councils of the District of the Azores that negotiated in Lisbon the establishment of the Governing Council of the Azores in June 1975.
 
He a degree in Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University and in Biblical Sciences from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.