Former Macau consul to head Portugal’s intelligence services

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro has announced the appointment of Vítor Sereno, a diplomat who previously served as Portugal’s Consul in Macau, as the new head of the country’s Intelligence Services (SIRP). Sereno, a 53-year-old veteran, will assume the role of Secretary-General of the Information System of the Portuguese Republic, succeeding Graça Mira Gomes, who has held the position since 2017. Sereno’s career includes a stint as Portugal’s top diplomat in Macau from 2013 to 2018. SIRP, the overarching organization, supervises two distinct intelligence agencies: the Security Intelligence Service (SIS), which focuses on domestic intelligence, and the Defense and Strategic Intelligence Service (SIED), which is responsible for foreign intelligence gathering.