THE Carnation Revolution, which took place in Portugal, was a military coup carried out on April 25, 1974 and which ended 41 years of Salazar dictatorship.
It is one of the most important historical events of the 70s.
April 25, 1974
The Portuguese no longer supported the impositions of the Salazar regime, so a group of soldiers, the so-called "captains of April", began to plan their deposition.
There was a first attempt in March, but this was unsuccessful. Thus, a month later, another attack is made and on April 25, 1974, the streets of Lisbon become the stage for the military coup that managed to depose President Marcello Caetano.
Caetano surrendered at 7:30 pm that day and went into exile in Rio de Janeiro, where he would die.
Name origin
The Carnation Revolution took place practically without violence, with only four dead. Faced with a quick victory without hostilities, they say that a florist began offering flowers to soldiers. Other versions claim that it was a pedestrian returning from work.
Anyway, the flower was given to the soldiers, who put them in the barrels of their rifles. The citizens who went out to the streets to celebrate, also took carnations and thus, this flower became the symbol and name of the revolution.
Chronology
- On September 9, 1973, the Movement responsible for the end of the dictatorship in Portugal begins, the MFA - Movement of the Armed Forces.
- On March 16, 1974, an attempted military coup failed and around 200 military personnel were arrested.
- Then, on March 24, the MFA meets and decides to overthrow the government through a military coup.
- A month later, on April 24, the newspaper "República" published a note so that the people could listen to that night's radio station Renascença.
- On that day, at 10:55 pm, Emissores Associados de Lisboa began broadcasting the song “And after goodbye”, played by Paulo de Carvalho, and the MFA begins operations.
- On April 25th at 00:20h the radio broadcast of the song “Grândola Vila Morena”, by Zeca Afonso, who was then censored, was the password used by the MFA to inform that military operations would be carried out.
Causes of the Carnation Revolution
Several reasons for the end of the regime can be pointed out.
The main one was the death of its creator and mentor, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, in 1970, which embodied the principles and values of that doctrine.
Equally, the wear and tear caused by the colonial war being waged, mainly in Angola and Mozambique, was increasingly difficult to maintain and justify.
The timid reforms of the regime itself, from the inauguration of Marcello Caetano (1906-1980) are important, as Portuguese society wanted to experience the same life as it was in Europe Western.
Consequences of the Carnation Revolution
Among the consequences of the revolution, the following stand out:
1) The end of the colonial war and the recognition of the independence of the Portuguese colonies in Africa:
- Guinea-Bissau, on September 9, 1974;
- Mozambique, on June 25, 1975;
- Cape Verde, on July 5, 1975;
- São Tomé and Príncipe, on July 12, 1975;
- Angola, on November 11, 1975.
The independence of these territories, caused the return of thousands of Portuguese in a disorderly way, which would be an inconvenience for the new government.
2) Those exiled by the Salazar regime were able to return.
3) A transitional regime is established, the Junta de Salvação Nacional, whose president will be General Antônio Spínola (1910-1996). In 1975, after free and direct elections for the legislature, the elaboration of the new Magna Carta begins.
4) Approved the new Portuguese Constitution, on April 2, 1976. On June 27 of the same year, the presidential election was held, won by Ramalho Eanes (1935) and Mário Soares (1924-2017) as prime minister.
5) Portugal starts the process of entry into the European Economic Community.
Salazar dictatorship
Salazarismo, directed by university professor Antônio de Oliveira Salazar, began in 1933. In 1928, Salazar became the head of the Ministry of Finance and distinguished himself in this task as a result of the measures he implemented, thus managing to stabilize the Portuguese economy.
Thus, in 1932 he was appointed President of the Council of Ministers and, according to the new constitution of 1933, he achieved full powers.
Authoritarianism, censorship, repression, exiles, colonial warfare were the characteristics of Salazarism. Equally. to control the population, there was the role of the PIDE (International State Defense Police) - the political police.
Salazar's government, also known as the Estado Novo, lasted 41 years. After the disability removal of the then dictator Salazar, victim of a stroke in 1968 and dying in 1970, it was continued by Marcello Caetano.
Song
The Carnation Revolution was marked by musical art. The music “Grândola Vila Morena”, by Zeca Afonso, became the anthem of the revolution, thus being well known in Portugal.
Check out the lyrics of this song:
Grândola, brown village
land of brotherhood
The people are the ones who command the most
inside you, o city
inside you, o city
The people are the ones who command the most
land of brotherhood
Grândola, brown village
on every corner, a friend
on every face, equality
Grândola, brown village
land of brotherhood
land of brotherhood
Grândola, brown village
on every face, equality
The people are the ones who command the most
In the shade of an holm oak
Who no longer knew the age
I swore to have as a partner
Grândola, your will
Grândola your will
I swore to have as a partner
In the shade of an holm oak
Who no longer knew the age
Here you have access to the original version of the song:
Curiosities
- April 25 is a public holiday in Portugal and the date is called Freedom Day.
- The end of the dictatorship in Portugal was received with enthusiasm in Brazil by those who were fighting against the military dictatorship. Composer Chico Buarque (1944) wrote the song “So much Sea" in honor of the Carnation Revolution.
Read more:
- The 70's
- Totalitarian Regimes in Europe
- Portuguese Africa
- Franchise in Spain
