U.S. Ambassador to Portugal Randi Charno Levine: Azores 'critically important' to NATO

PONTA DELGADA – U.S. Ambassador to Portugal Randi Charno Levine said on Monday that the Azores and the island of Terceira, where the Lajes Base is located, are of “critical importance” to NATO.

“We’ve all learned over the years that the Azores and Terceira are of critical importance to national security and to NATO,” said the ambassador, speaking in Ponta Delgada, in the Azores.

If you look at the history of the Azores, she added, “Lajes has been responsible for everything from supporting local communities after earthquakes, to supporting operations such as in Afghanistan and Iraq” and now “plays an important role in the conflict in the Middle East.”

The ambassador, who was speaking at a conference organized by the Azorean newspaper Açoriano Oriental, highlighted the annual investment of $23 million in the Lajes Base by the U.S. government, which she said was the “highest since 2006.”

“It’s very clear that from a security point of view the Azores have been and will continue to be of strategic importance,” she emphasized.

Levine also considered that the Azorean community “represents Portugal very well” in the United States, and that it is a “very respected” community.

“The Azorean community in the United States is an extraordinary asset, it is highly respected. The Azorean community is the link between America and Portugal,” she said.

The event was also attended by the Vice-President of the Azores Regional Government Artur Lima and Margaret Campbell, the U.S. Consul in the Azores archipelago.

Levine was appointed ambassador to Portugal in November 2021 by Joe Biden’s administration, and took up her duties in April 2022, after her appointment was unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: U.S. Ambassador to Portugal: Azores 'critically important' to NATO