Lisbon Streetcar Disaster Exposes Deadly Failures in Public Safety Oversight

The tragic derailment of Lisbon’s iconic Elevador da Gloria funicular streetcar, resulting in 17 deaths and over two dozen injuries, should serve as a stark warning to all who value national sovereignty and the safety of citizens and visitors alike. As Portugal mourns its worst recent disaster, the incident lays bare a failure of public safety oversight that no responsible government can afford to ignore. This beloved 19th-century streetcar, a magnet for tourists from around the world—including Americans—was supposed to symbolize Lisbon’s rich heritage. Instead, it has become a symbol of catastrophic negligence. Despite scheduled maintenance claims by Carris, the...