Paulo Jorge Medeiros
52 years old · Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores
Public sector worker (regional government, agriculture department)
Persona: Azores Islander
Paulo Jorge Medeiros
Quick Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Paulo Jorge Medeiros |
| Age | 52 |
| Gender | Male |
| Location | Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores |
| Occupation | Public sector worker (regional government, agriculture department) |
| Education | Licenciatura in Agronomy (Universidade dos Açores) |
| Housing | Owns house (inherited, small mortgage for renovation) |
| Family | Married to Rosa (50, teacher), three children (28, 25, 22—two in Lisbon, one in Canada) |
| Voter Status | Portuguese citizen - can vote |
Background Narrative
Paulo was born on São Miguel and has never wanted to live anywhere else. The Azores are home in a way mainlanders don't understand—the landscape, the silence, the rhythms of island life. He studied in Lisbon for four years and couldn't wait to return.
He worked in the regional agriculture department for 25 years, watching the dairy industry evolve through EU quotas and subsidies. He's seen prosperity and crisis, always at a delay from the mainland—news arrives, but so does everything else, slower and more expensive.
His three children followed the same pattern every Azorean family knows: grow up on the island, leave for education or work, maybe come back, probably not. Two are in Lisbon; one emigrated to Toronto. Rosa cries at Christmas when video calls are all they have.
Paulo defends the autonomous status fiercely. The Azores aren't just a vacation destination—they're a distinct community with distinct needs. Lisbon often forgets this.
Economic Situation
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Income level | Middle (€1,800/month net + Rosa's €1,500) |
| Income source | Public sector salary (stable) |
| Financial stress | Low-Moderate |
| Housing cost burden | 15% (small mortgage) |
| Economic trajectory | Stable but isolated |
Values Profile (Schwartz Framework)
Higher-Order Values
| Dimension | Rating | Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Transcendence | 3 | Community-oriented, but island community first |
| Self-Enhancement | 2 | Modest ambition; content with modest success |
| Openness to Change | 2 | Values stability; change feels risky on island |
| Conservation | 4 | Strong tradition, security, conformity values |
Specific Values (Top 3 priorities)
- Tradition: Azorean identity, religious faith, cultural continuity
- Security: Island isolation magnifies need for stability
- Benevolence: Deep family loyalty; community tight-knit
Moral Politics Frame (Lakoff)
Primary frame: Biconceptual (Strict Father on discipline, Nurturant on community support)
Expression: Paulo believes in hard work and self-reliance but also knows that islands need support structures. He's not anti-government—he works for it—but thinks Lisbon misunderstands island realities. He values community responsibility.
Information Ecosystem
| Source Type | Specific Sources | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| TV | RTP Açores, SIC, occasional mainland news | High (RTP Açores) |
| Online | Regional news sites, Facebook | Medium |
| Social Media | Facebook (family, local groups), WhatsApp | High |
| Açoriano Oriental (regional) | Medium-High | |
| Community | Church, neighbors, colleagues, extended family | Very High |
Media consumption pattern: Heavy RTP Açores viewer. Facebook for family updates, especially children abroad. Local news priority; mainland news filtered through island lens.
Political Profile
Voting History
| Election | Vote | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Legislative | PS | "Regional PS has served Azores well" |
| 2022 Legislative | PS | "Stability" |
| 2021 Presidential | Marcelo | "Good for national unity" |
| Historical pattern | PS traditionally (regional loyalty), but 2024 regional shift |
Political Identity
- Left-Right self-placement: 5/10 (moderate, pragmatic)
- Party identification: Regional PS tradition, but now questioning
- Political engagement: Moderate—votes, follows regional politics closely
2026 Presidential Inclination
- Current leaning: Gouveia e Melo or Marques Mendes
- Certainty: Leaning
- Key deciding factors: Who understands autonomous regions; stability; competence
Top Concerns (Ranked)
- Island connectivity: "Flight prices are robbery. We're Portuguese but pay like tourists to visit family."
- Children's emigration: "All three left. Will any come back? Will we grow old alone?"
- Regional poverty: "We have the highest poverty rate in Portugal. Lisbon doesn't know."
- Healthcare access: "Serious illness means going to Lisbon. That costs money we don't have."
- Autonomy respect: "We have an autonomous government for a reason. Lisbon should listen."
Hopes
For himself:
"I want to retire here, stay healthy, and maybe have grandchildren who know what the Azores are. Not just visitors—Azoreans."
For the Azores:
"I hope we can keep our young people. Build an economy that doesn't just export them. Keep our identity while being connected to Portugal and Europe."
For his children:
"I want them to be happy. If that means Canada or Lisbon, so be it. But I hope at least one comes home someday."
Fears
Personal fears:
"Getting sick and not being able to get proper treatment here. Having to die in some mainland hospital far from home."
Fears for the Azores:
"That we become just a tourism destination. That the culture, the community, the soul of these islands gets sold like the Algarve."
Deepest fear (often unspoken):
"That being an Azorean won't mean anything in a generation. That my grandchildren will think of this as a holiday destination, not home."
"In Their Own Voice"
How he'd describe Portugal today:
"Portugal is Lisbon and the rest. We in the Azores are the rest of the rest—1,500 kilometers away, easy to forget. They remember us for tourism brochures and whale watching. They forget us for investment and opportunity."
What he'd say to someone who disagrees with him politically:
"Come live here a year. Not vacation—live. Wait for the ferry when the sea is rough. Pay for flights. See a specialist at the hospital. Then we'll talk about what the Azores need."
His message to politicians:
"Autonomy isn't separatism. We're proud to be Portuguese. But respect that we know our islands better than any Lisbon ministry. Give us the tools and let us work."
Scenario Response Predictions
| Candidate | Predicted Response | Key Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura | Negative | Doesn't understand islands; centralist tendency |
| Gouveia e Melo | Positive | Competence, military respects regions, stability |
| Marques Mendes | Positive | PSD tradition, stable, understands periphery |
| Seguro | Neutral-Positive | PS connection, but mainland-focused |
| Catarina Martins | Neutral | Progressive values less resonant here |
| Cotrim Figueiredo | Neutral | Liberal ideas seem mainland-focused |
| António Filipe | Negative | Communism never fit here |
Notes for Scenario Development
- Island isolation as both identity and constraint
- Connectivity/transport as visceral daily issue
- Children's emigration as emotional center
- Religious identity stronger than mainland
- Could interact with: children via video call, tourists, returning emigrants, regional government colleagues
- In "Day in the Future" vignettes: airport scenes, church community, watching weather for ferry, video calls with scattered children