50 years of the Carnation Revolution, overthrow of one of the longest dictatorships in 20th century Europe | National Newspaper

50 years of the Carnation Revolution, overthrow of one of the longest dictatorships in 20th century Europe

50 years ago, the Portuguese overthrew one of the longest dictatorships of the 20th century in Europe.

The revolution arrived in Portugal with a touch of poetry. As a symbol it had a flower, the carnation.

“Open the lid on the pressure cooker that was Portuguese society, which explodes into an immense movement of hope, protest, demand for justice”, explains historian Fernando Rosas.

The 48-year Portuguese dictatorship was challenged and defeated by the population with the help of low-ranking military personnel. They were called “April captains”.

“One of the things that really moved us was our conviction that we were doing what the population wanted us to do: overthrowing the dictatorship, ending the war”, recalls one of those soldiers, Vasco Lourenço.

Dictator António de Oliveira Salazar led Portugal for almost four decades. Under the motto God, Fatherland and Family, his government censored the press and persecuted political opponents with the support of PIDE – International and State Defense Police -, which tortured and killed.

“It is a dictatorial, single-party regime, prohibition of parties, prohibition of free unions, prohibition of the right to strike. A regime of political oppression, of economic exploitation”, lists Fernando Rosas.

“Women before April 25th could not leave the country without permission from their husband or father”, says political scientist Maria Castello Branco.

“They couldn’t sell, they couldn’t buy a house alone”, says journalist Inês Serra Lopes.

“There were professions that were prohibited to women, for example, access to judiciary positions or a diplomatic career”, highlights historian Maria Inácia Rezola.

The struggle for independence in the colonies undermined the regime. From 1961 until 1974, around 20% of the country’s budget was spent on the colonial war; 45 thousand civilians and soldiers from African countries and 10 thousand Portuguese soldiers died.

The Carnation Revolution also meant the end of the oldest European colonial empire, dating back almost six centuries.

It was in the Largo do Carmo barracks that the heir of Salazarism Marcello Caetano surrendered less than 24 hours after the start of the coup, called a revolution because he was embraced by the people, who distributed carnations to the soldiers. Thus, on that April 25th, 50 years ago, Portuguese democracy was born.

The password for captains to leave the barracks was a song.

“The population feels that they can, with their own hands, shape their destiny. This is an absolutely extraordinary thing”, exalts Fernando Rosas.

“No one slept in Portugal. There was so much joy… Can you imagine, 40 years of dictatorship, everything closed. Suddenly the Portuguese see themselves like this, enjoying freedom”, says journalist Roberto D’ávila.

A Constituent Assembly approved a new Constitution in 1976. It came into force on April 25, the second anniversary of the Carnation Revolution.

“All opinion polls show that, for the Portuguese, the 25th of April continues to be the most important date in their history and that, for everyone, especially the youngest, the way in which Portugal transitioned from dictatorship to democracy is a source of pride”, says Maria Inácia Rezola.

For 50 years, April has been rhyming with party for the Portuguese. This time, a special celebration. At the Parliament ceremony, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made an appeal:

“May we have the humility and intelligence to always prefer democracy, even imperfect, to dictatorship.”

Thousands of people, of all ages, took to the streets to watch the parades. A Portuguese woman described the emotion she felt:

“Immense for the freedom we gained, but we have to know how to defend ourselves very well”

“I was lucky enough to be born into democracy, but I think it’s important that we speak out at this moment so that we don’t go back. The path must always be forward”, added another.