23/04/2024
50 Years ago this week my new "Home Country" went through a Revolution.
Here is a very brief synopsis.
The Portuguese Revolution, also known as the Carnation Revolution, took place on April 25, 1974. It was a peaceful military coup in Portugal that led to the overthrow of the authoritarian Estado Novo regime, which had been in power for almost five decades under Prime Minister António de Oliveira Salazar and, later, Marcelo Caetano.
The revolution was sparked by a combination of factors, including the ongoing colonial wars in Portugal's African colonies of Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau, as well as the regime's repressive policies, censorship, and economic stagnation.
The coup itself was largely bloodless, with military officers and soldiers of the Armed Forces Movement (Movimento das Forças Armadas, MFA) taking control of key points in Lisbon without significant resistance. The symbol of the revolution was the placing of carnations in the barrels of soldiers' rifles, hence its nickname.
Following the coup, a period of political instability ensued, with various factions vying for power. However, this eventually led to the establishment of a democratic government. General António de Spínola briefly served as the provisional head of state before being replaced by a civilian government led by Prime Minister Adelino da Palma Carlos.
The revolution brought about significant changes in Portugal, including the decolonization of its African territories, the establishment of democracy, and the adoption of a new constitution in 1976. Portugal's transition to democracy was largely peaceful compared to other countries that experienced similar upheavals during the same period.
