Rubio criticizes Amnesty during Portugal visit

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Portugal concluded with a joint press briefing in Lisbon where he criticized Amnesty International and discussed U.S.-Portugal cooperation, including counternarcotics efforts and the use of Lajes Field by U.S. aircraft. Asked about a report that Amnesty International had urged Portugal not to support alleged war crimes through access to the Azores air base, Rubio called the organization “a fraud.” He said it should instead focus on alleged abuses by Iran’s government against protesters, including killings in hospitals. The allegations were Rubio’s; the material available does not independently establish them or include Amnesty International’s original statement. Rubio also said U.S. aircraft flew to Lajes Field before and after the start of Operation Epic Fury. He declined to discuss what conversations had or had not taken place concerning those flights. Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said defense relations were not discussed at that meeting because a bilateral commission handles the subject and meets regularly. The briefing covered economic ties as well as security. Rubio described Portugal as a gateway for U.S.