The other newly elected foreign members of the Academy are: Benjamin Moser, American writer and historian, Julio María Sanguinetti, former President of Uruguay, also an editor and columnist, and Telmo dos Santos Verdelho, Professor at the University of Aveiro.

Commenting on this nomination, Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins states that “It is an honour to succeed Eduardo Lourenço in the Brazilian Academy of Letters, founded by Machado de Assis. But the responsibility is immense, on behalf of all the cultures in the Portuguese speaking world. Freedom and cooperation are more necessary than ever in the name of a culture for peace”.

With a degree and a Master’s in Law, Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins is Doctor Honoris Causa by Universidade Lusíada, by Universidade Aberta and by the Higher Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP). He has served in the Portuguese Governments as Secretary of State for Educational Administration (1995-1999), Minister of Education (1999-2000), Minister of the Presidency (2000-2002) and Minister of Finance (2001-2002). He was President of SEDES – Association for Economic and Social Development (1985-1995), Vice-President of the National Commission of UNESCO (1988-1994) and President of the Commission of the Faro Convention of the Council of Europe (2005).