César DePaço and Lanzer
César DePaço's life is a story of determination, hard work, and faith in the principles that shape true builders of success. Born in the Azores and now recognized as a leading entrepreneur in the United States in the field of nutraceuticals, DePaço is, in essence, a self-made man who has never lost sight of his origins and the values he inherited from them.
“In the Azores, as a child, I learned that life is a harsh school that grants no indulgences, but rather demands continuous effort and fidelity to principles,” he emphasizes in an exclusive interview with the newspaper LUSO-AMERICANO. “Nothing was the result of chance or the whim of fate, but rather the consequence of perseverance that remained unshakeable over time.”
Successful Portuguese businessman César DePaço and his personal security dog “Lanzer”
For the entrepreneur, who built his career in the competitive world of American business, success cannot be explained by tricks or shortcuts.
“Genuine and lasting success is not based on fleeting secrets or artificial formulas, but on eternal principles: honesty, hard work, keeping one's word, prudence in decision-making, and unconditional respect for the law.”
DePaço emphasizes that freedom and responsibility are inseparable: “Where discipline, order, and duty are lacking, prosperity turns to ruin.”
America as fertile ground
When asked whether the same path would have been possible elsewhere in the world, the entrepreneur is categorical: “The United States was undoubtedly the most fertile ground for those willing to take risks, fight, and work tirelessly.”
In the US, he says, he found a society that “recognizes individual merit and protects the freedom to undertake.” Perhaps elsewhere he could have written “a different story, perhaps even an honorable one, but it was in America that my identity was able to fully expand and where audacity found its reward.”
The flame of Portuguese identity
Despite his international success, César DePaço never lost touch with his roots. He was Portugal's honorary consul in Florida and speaks with emotion about the mission he undertook. “Being Portuguese is more than nationality; it is carrying the weight and grandeur of centuries of history.”
“When I served as honorary consul, I did so with gravity and a sense of mission, aware that I represented a tradition greater than myself.” Portuguese identity, he says, is a “visceral and inextinguishable belonging that illuminates my identity.”
Defense of order and legitimate authority
DePaço is also known for his unconditional support for law enforcement in the United States—an issue he considers essential to the preservation of civilization and to which he has already channeled millions of dollars. “Without order there is no freedom, without law there can be no justice, without legitimate authority social peace dissolves.”
Recalling Freud, he quotes: “Civilization began the moment man replaced the stone with the word.” He adds: “Supporting those who expose themselves to danger to ensure this order is not only an act of gratitude, but an unavoidable civic duty.”
The Portuguese businessman at the offices of the LUSO-AMERICANO newspaper in Newark
Political vision and community service
He is unapologetic about his connection to President Donald Trump: “President Donald Trump's leadership represented, in my view, a restoration of fundamental principles—national sovereignty, economic freedom, and the rule of law.”
As for a possible political career, César DePaço is clear: “My entire existence has been dedicated to the company I founded and the philanthropic works that emerged from it. Politics has never been among my immediate goals, even though community service is the constant force that drives me.”
He concludes with an inspiring reflection: “The vocation of every human being is their most intimate responsibility. Mine is fulfilled today outside the partisan arena, through the creation of economic value and the social support that I have taken on as my mission. It is in this space that I find meaning and continuity for my life’s work.”
Source: LusoAmericano