A leader of Portugal’s 1974 revolution is being criticized after he posted anti-Semitic tweets earlier this week about the COVID-19 vaccine. The criticism comes just days after a contestant in a Portuguese TV show was kicked off the air for making Nazi salutes.
According to a translation posted by StandWithUs, Rodrigo Sousa Castro tweeted on Feb. 7 that “the Jews, as they dominate global finance, they bought and have all the vaccines they wanted. It’s a kind of historical revenge. And I won’t say more until the Zionist bulldogs jump.”
In response, the Israel embassy in Portugal tweeted, according to an online translation: “As a proud Zionist bulldog, I can promise that If Israel develops a cure for COVID-19, Colonel Sousa e Castro will have access to it if needed.”
Castro’s tweet came just days after the country came under fire for a star of the popular “Big Brother Portugal” TV series walking around the house in lockstep performing Nazi salutes.
In video clips online, other house members (amid laughter) can be seen calling on “Helder” to put his arm down—that “it was serious.” Citing that Holocaust was “nothing to be made fun of” and even including a quote by Anne Frank, the producers kicked him off the show.
“Both the anti-Semitic events that came from Portugal emphasize the importance of remaining vigilant and speaking out against anti-Semitism, whenever it appears. Such blatantly anti-Semitic remarks, such as using well-known tropes claiming Jews ‘dominate global finance’ and referring to Israelis as ‘Zionist bulldogs,’ are absolutely unacceptable. We condemn such hateful comments in the strongest possible terms,” said Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO StandWithUs and a daughter of Holocaust survivors.
She continued, saying “we want to thank Big Brother Portugal for taking swift action against the participant after he performed the Nazi salute several times during a live airing of the show. Such an act undermines the millions of lives lost during the Holocaust. We appreciate the way in which the show turned this awful display into an educational opportunity for their viewers.”
