Ana Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Portugal's ambassador to Bulgaria, was found dead at her home in Sofia's Lozenets district on September 22. The news was reported by local media. The cause of death of the 66-year-old diplomat has not yet been officially announced.
Concern was raised after the woman failed to show up for work, prompting staff at the Portuguese mission to grow worried and check her address. Her body was found around noon.
According to initial information, there are no signs of violence. Media reports have floated a heart attack as a possible cause, but this has not yet been confirmed by forensic doctors.
Ribeiro da Silva has headed the Portuguese mission in Sofia since early 2021. She was accredited as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Portugal on January 19, 2021, having previously served as ambassador to Slovakia. According to the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry's diplomatic list, her name is still listed as head of the mission as of May 2026.
The diplomat graduated in law from the University of Lisbon and had a long career at Portugal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She worked at Portugal's Permanent Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, as well as at diplomatic missions in Helsinki, Moscow and Vienna. In Lisbon, she served as diplomatic adviser to the foreign minister and later to the speaker of the Portuguese parliament. She spoke about her professional career in an interview given after her arrival in Bulgaria.
Before Sofia, Ribeiro da Silva served as ambassador in Bratislava. In February 2016, ahead of her posting to Slovakia, she was received personally by Portugal's then-president, Aníbal Cavaco Silva.
In Bulgaria, the diplomat was active in initiatives related to bilateral relations, culture and the promotion of the Portuguese language. In one public interview, she said Bulgarians' interest in Portuguese culture was strong, and spoke warmly of her years in the country.
The Portuguese embassy in Sofia is among the permanent diplomatic missions in the country listed by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry. The exact cause of death has yet to be determined by the relevant authorities.