What is written here doesn't sound like what we know but it is what Goncalo says "Chapter 21 - An Irish family in shock - pages 197-199 "
https://mmknowthetruth.blogspot.co.nz/2016/11/the-smiths-sighting.html for the text.
"- We make the decision to bring the Smiths back to Portugal. They will be heard, and in legal and procedural terms, will give their identification using televised images, since a personal identification [of Gerry] is out of the question.
- A reconstitution of that night, with the Smiths, is seriously considered.
- But the Smiths don't return to Portugal.
- The Portuguese police changed their minds after GA leaves the team; they decide to use the international request mechanism [letters rogatory]
- This leads to absurd delays
- In the meantime, rumours abound that strangers to the investigation have found about about this witness and his family and, supposedly, have tried to talk to Smith, though their intentions in doing so are unknown"
Were the Smiths part of the re-enactment? Once the re-enactment was abandoned by the Portuguese they opted for the rogatory interviews. Were rogatory interviews done with the Smiths as well?