Aristides de Sousa Mendes (July 19, 1885 – April 3, 1954; was a Portuguese consul. As Portuguese Consul-General in Bordeaux, France, he defied the orders of Portugal's António de Oliveira Salazar dictatorship, issuing visas in 1940 to thousands of refugees fleeing from invading German military forces in the early period of World War II. He was punished by his government for his actions but was eventually vindicated after his death. He was honored posthumously by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations, the first diplomat to be so honored.