The Consul General of Portugal in Manchester Jorge Cruz paid a courtesy visit to the Mayor on Wednesday October 23.

Mr Cruz, together with two of his colleagues, was in Douglas to provide legal and immigration services to some 120 Portuguese nationals living in the Island and to ‘bring some light’ to the EU settlement scheme as part of the consulate’s ‘diplomacy by proximity’ mission. He also hoped to engage with the wider Portuguese community, estimated to number in the region of 400 during his two-day visit.

Mr Cruz said: ‘My message to the Portuguese community living in the Isle of Man is that the consulate is here to support them’, adding that he had been extremely warmly welcomed by the Mayor.

Examining an old map of the wards of Douglas

The visit also provided an opportunity for an exchange of gifts and for the Mayor to explain something of the history of the Council.

Mr Cruz also met with the President of Tynwald, the Hon Steve Rodan MLC at the Legislative Buildings before lunching with the Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney at Government House.

Born in Lisbon in 1964, Mr Cruz holds a Master’s degree in psychology. He joined the diplomatic service in 1999, serving in Sofia, Rome, Montevideo and Vienna.

In 2014 he was appointed head of division for UN affairs at the directorate for the international political organisation services of the directorate-general for external policy, and in 2016 he was appointed head of division for the internal human resource services in the general administration department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On August 5, 2017 he took office as Consul General of Portugal in Manchester.