"This statement is indeed very important and forceful," Anielle Franco told the Brazilian news website G1, referring to the statements by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in which he acknowledged Portugal's responsibilities for crimes committed during the colonial era, suggesting the payment of reparations for past mistakes. "For the first time, we are holding a debate of this magnitude at an international level," stressed the Brazilian minister, sister of former councilwoman Marielle Franco, who was assassinated in 2018, adding that such statements are "the result of centuries of demands by the black population." Even so, Anielle Franco stressed that "this statement needs to be followed by concrete actions, as the President [of Portugal] himself seems to be committing to do." "Our team is already in contact with the Portuguese government to discuss how to think about these actions and what steps will be taken from here," she said. On Tuesday, during a dinner with foreign correspondents in Portugal, the President of the Republic stated that Portugal has "to pay the costs." "Are there actions that have not been punished and those responsible have not been arrested? Are there assets that have been looted and not returned? Let's see how we can fix this," said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, quoted by the Reuters news agency. At the event, Rebelo de Sousa said that Portugal "assumes full responsibility" for the mistakes of the past and recalls that these crimes, including the colonial massacres, had costs. A year ago, in the welcoming session for Brazilian President Lula da Silva, which preceded the solemn session commemorating the 49th anniversary of April 25 in the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa defended that Portugal owed an apology, but above all it should fully assume responsibility for the exploration and slavery during the colonial period. "It is not just apologizing - which is due, without a doubt - for what we did, because apologizing is sometimes the easiest thing to do, you apologize, turn your back, and the task is done. No, it is assuming responsibility for the future of what we did good and bad in the past," he defended. For more than four centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped, forcibly transported long distances by ships and mostly European merchants, and sold as slaves. Read Also: Marcelo says Montenegro has "rural behavior" and Costa is "slow" (Portuguese version)