Portuguese Embassy hosts Open House event

On Saturday, May 14, The Portuguese Embassy in Washington, DC, along with other European Union embassies, opened its doors to the public to celebrate Portuguese culture.

**(Center front) Ambassador of Portugal in Washington, DC, Francisco Duarte Lopes and Portuguese artist Isabel Pavão with the working staff of the Portuguese Embassy**

Visitors enjoyed Portuguese wine and custard tarts known as “pasteis de nata”; a showcase from artist Isabel Pavão; and a selection of “pata negra” pork. Newark’s Rodrigo Duarte of Caseiro e Bom Market provided these meats, made from the only pure black Portuguese Alentejo hogs imported and bred in the United States.

Like other international Portuguese businessmen, Rodrigo values strong Portuguese-American relations: “It is important to expand nationwide with a strong, healthy, noble American clientele.” He has been touring the United States in events like the DC Open House with the help of AICEP Portugal Global, a government agency that supports the internationalization of Portuguese businesses.

Duarte’s exhibition, and others at the event, demonstrates the strength of interest and investment the Portuguese have in the United States and vice versa despite the global economic lull from the covid-19 lockdowns.