Marcelo Duarte Matias

Marcelo Duarte Matias (15 August 1903, Lisbon – 9 June 1999, Estoril) was a Portuguese diplomat, civil servant, and writer. He served as the Foreign Minister of Portugal,^[2] ambassador to France, and Governor of the province of Angola.^[3]

Marcelo Duarte Matias
Ambassador of Portugal in France[1]
In office 1961–1970
Foreign Minister of Portugal[1]
In office 1958–1961
Ambassador of Portugal in France[1]
In office 1948–1958
Personal details
Born	Marcello Gonçalves Nunes Duarte Mathias (1903-08-15)15 August 1903 Lisbon, Portugal
Died	9 June 1999(1999-06-09) (aged 95) Estoril, Portugal
Spouse	Fédora Charles de Zaffiri
Children	3, including Leonardo
Education	University of Lisbon

Portuguese opposition leader Humberto Delgado went to the Brazilian embassy in Lisbon on January 12, 1959, requesting asylum as he feared the Salazar government would arrest him for challenging Salazar's continued rule, specifically by asking Welsh Labour politician Aneurin Bevan to come to Portugal. As Foreign Minister, Matias refused to recognize Delgado's status as a political refugee. Matias insisted that as a free citizen of Portugal, Delgado had to return to Portugal from Brazil's embassy and then apply to leave Portugal. The diplomatic spat damaged bilateral relations between Brazil and Portugal.^[4]