 This was largely done in cooperation with the Portuguese Foreign Office and under Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar’s direct supervision with the provision that these refugees would not try to get Portuguese citizenship.On 23 April 1944 and following the German occupation of Hungary, the Portuguese ruler Salazar decided to order his ambassador to return to Lisbon and leave the chargé d'affaires, Teixeira Branquinho in his place.This recall was done in response to a request from Britain and the United States who wanted neutral countries to downgrade their diplomatic presence in Hungary.