THE REVOLUTION IN PORTUGAL CLAVELES
Jose Sanchez Cervello
This week, read the latest news releases and the speed and death worldwide, I keep remembering another 25 in April, but 1974. This was a bloodless military rebellion that ended the dictatorship in Portugal known as the 'Estado Novo', founded in 1932 by António de Oliveira Salazar.
The so-called 'Carnation Revolution' was hosted by soldiers who had fought for independence on African soil, grouped in the so-called Armed Forces Movement (MFA). Unlike our beloved Spain, then at the end of the Franco regime, the Luso Army had in its ranks a large group of leftist ideology officers: their role was crucial to overthrow the government of Marcelo Caetano, who had succeeded in Salazar 1968 to an elderly disabled by an accident.
The conditions laid down by Lenin and Trotsky for the development of the revolution there were months before the fall of the regime. The mass strikes - despite being illegal - the proletariat, especially in Lisbon. The unrest of the peasants and small bourgeoisie. Student unrest and attempted to save the ruling class to "reform" nonsense that further aggravated the situation.
All the conditions for an explosion were maturing. But the peculiarity of the Portuguese revolution, which indicates the maturity and even over-ripeness of capitalism for the revolution - first revealed its weakest links - was that in its early stages was led by officers with low or medium scale, and More significantly, all sectors of the armed forces: land, sea and air.
is true that in the Iberian Peninsula there is a tradition of coups conducted at various times and by different sectors of the armed forces, republican and monarchist reactionaries. But one difference is that due to the pressure of the contradictions engendered by two generations of fascism and the invincible colonial war, most of the officers had placed against the regime.
explosive discontent and the desire to find a way out - showing the split within the ruling class of the weak - is expressed in the book of Spinola in defending a particular form of Lusitana Federation with the colonies, effectively a other than moving the deck but with firm control in Portuguese hands. The refusal to make slightest concession - not even remove from office Spinola and Costa Gomez - and the blind obstinacy of the regime helped to precipitate the conspiracy, having been formed the MFA (Armed Forces Movement). Leading found
General Antonio Spinola and the promise of democracy. Portuguese Thousands filled the streets of Lisbon in the morning after the coup to celebrate with red and white carnations.
Spinola was a rare release. He had fought alongside Franco in the thirties, had trained with the armed forces of Hitler in the forties and became famous for suppressing uprisings in Portugal's African colonies in the years sixties. As governor of Guinea-Bissau (then Portuguese Guinea) since 1968, Spinola realized that Portugal could not win their colonial wars. In 1974, Spinola was a supporter of the independence of the colonies. His stance struck a chord with popular and the coup plotters forced him to be their leader.
Spinola turned out was not the height of his revolution: Portugal wanted to get rid of decades of repression of the overnight, and the general was "too pessimistic, too rigid and too sad," as a younger colleague. He resigned six months after taking office.
The song "Grandola Vila Morena" early emission which a radio station gave the signal for the uprising in the barracks, was one of the symbols of the Portuguese revolution of 1974, as well as red carnations to the population of Lisbon gave the military to come out streets. That spring, all outbreaks of the world pointed to the experience Lusa, which is surrounded by a romantic halo that retains even today.
This work, using mostly primary sources, including interviews with actors and special files, analyzes the causes of military unrest, especially the fatigue of a colonial war for 13 years and for which there was no solution military. Explains, also, the organization of the conspiracy, the overthrow of the dictatorship and the political process that opened the original and its progressive renewal on Western standards.
No. of pages: 80 pags
Language: CASTILIAN
Binding: Softcover
ISBN: 9788476352571
N º Edition: 1 ª
Year: 1997
Plaza edition: MADRID
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