Montenegro Defends Defense Minister Amid F-35 Stopover Controversy in the Azores

Montenegro Responds to Calls for Defense Minister's Resignation

Luís Montenegro, the Prime Minister of Portugal, addressed journalists during a municipal event in Nazaré, where he commented on the recent F-35 fighter jets stopover at the Lajes Air Base in the Azores.

Montenegro expressed regret over what he termed a "procedural error" in the handling of the U.S. fighter jets' transit, which were en route to Israel. However, he firmly stated that he does not understand the calls for the resignation of ministers, specifically referring to the demand from the Left Bloc (BE) for the resignation of Defense Minister Nuno Melo.

The Prime Minister emphasized that such stopovers are part of a "normal process" and defended the government's position, highlighting the routine nature of these military operations.

This incident has sparked political debate, with the Left Bloc pushing for accountability, while the government maintains that the stopover was standard procedure, despite the acknowledged error.