Azores Day Portugal. Political quarrels between the Azores and the national government are usually highlighted during these celebrations, with political commentaries made by the President of the Regional Government. The Regional Government has traditionally, since 1980, held official celebrations on each island of the Azores. In 1997, Azores Day was marked in Ponta Delgada, with the solemn opening of the "Galeria dos Autonomistas" ("Autonomists' Gallery"), in the Palace of Conceição (seat of the Regional Government). After this date, the celebrations marking the Day of the Azores, which since 2006 had already been marked with bestowing honours to illustrious Azoreans, began to occur
Captaincies of the Azores economic administration of the archipelago. Therefore, the captaincy system was employed on the islands, which in the beginning were limited to a group of rocky outcrops (the Formigas) and the unspoiled island of Santa Maria, where settlers had made a beachhead in the northern region of Anjos. With progressive discoveries, the number of captaincies expanded, only broken by inter- and intra-island rivalries and death. As "discoverer" and commander of the expedition to the Atlantic, Cabral was the first commander to obtain the title of "Captain of the Donatary" in the Azores. Yet, the title bestowed on Gonçalo Velho is not