PEight days passed after the approval of the anti-immigrant law, also known as the nationality law, and I didn’t notice why Portugal had become more Portuguese, as minister Leitão Amaro promised, and I also didn’t manage to experience that feeling of the unmistakable Portuguese blood running through my veins, as guaranteed by deputy Cristina Rodrigues, from Chega. And, even more serious: I just noticed the ridiculousness, sadly ridiculous, of Luís Montenegro having decided to speak to the country to praise the merits of the law, framed by eight national flags, in the best style of Trumpian stage performances. I hope this is not a harbinger of a return to the days of flag-bearing patriotism in Brazilian Scolari’s campaign at the 2004 European Football Championship, later discovering that the commitment with which Scolari sang the anthem and incited the bandeirantes was only matched by the commitment with which he evaded the tax authorities. It is necessary not to confuse patriotism with nationalism, nor parochialism with provincialism, or cosmopolitanism with pacovian followership. It is healthy and desirable to be a local, patriotic and cosmopolitan — all together and in the appropriate times and circumstances. On the contrary, it is provincial, falsely patriotic and countryish to proclaim that one has a different blood, to wrap oneself in the flag and the anthem to show love for the country and to follow the orders of the Americans to be invited to the White House.