Portuguese far right revives old rivalries with Spain

A fierce nationalism has sprung up in Portugal since the far-right Popular Party joined a conservative government elected in March, stirring up old hostilities towards the country's historic rival, Spain.

Throughout six years of Portugal's Socialist government, anti-Spanish feelings were dampened down as the prime minister, Antonio Guterres, stressed both countries' commitment to European harmony.

But since Jose Manuel Durao Barroso became Prime Minister and brought the PP into coalition with his conservative Social Democratic Party (PSD), commentators and entrepreneurs have warned of the threat of a Spanish takeover, calling upon a spirit of resistance symbolised by the bloody battle of Aljubarrota in 1385.

A group of businessmen and bankers recently set up a foundation celebrating the battle, in which the Castilian troops were defeated and a baker, Brites de Almeida – Portugal's Joan of Arc – killed seven Spaniards. It symbolises Portugal's ideal of independence against its marauding neighbour.

One flashpoint is over the national airline, Tap, which is seeking an international partner, possibly Spanish carrier Iberia. Such a deal would be "unacceptable", the PSD Mayor of Lisbon, Pedro Santana Lopes, wrote in Diario de Noticias newspaper recently.

"It could be the prelude of the handover of national air transport to the Spanish company," he fumed in a column headed "Enough!"

"It is important for Portugal to protect those residues of sovereignty as a state and a truly independent nation."

Similarly, the commentator Virgilio de Carvalho poured cold water on a planned high-speed-train link to Spain. The project was "expensive and not essential for Portugal" and could convert Madrid into the Iberian peninsula's capital, he wrote in Jornal de Noticias.

The public works ministry excluded two Spanish companies from competing for a motorway in Oporto, even though their bids were apparently cheaper. And the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, was infuriated by Portugal's refusal to extradite a suspected member of the Basque separatist group Eta. Jose Luis Telletxea, accused of involvement in terrorism, fled to Lisbon without identity papers in 1994. But Mr Barroso said Portuguese laws allowed undocumented foreigners to stay on national territory.

Before March's general election, Mr Aznar visited Lisbon to back Mr Barroso, who was boosted by an endorsement from Spain's conservative ruling party. However, the leader of Portugal's far right, Paulo Portas, said Mr Aznar had no business giving Portugal lessons on how to rule. Mr Portas is now Defence minister and his views are gaining ground.