On April 25, 1974, Portugal experienced a historic event that would put an end to almost half a century of dictatorship. On that day, a peaceful military uprising overthrew the Estado Novo regime, which had been in power since 1926. Under the leadership of Marcelo Caetano, the authoritarian regime seemed immune to any kind of change, but a series of unexpected events and widespread discontent opened the door to the Carnation Revolution.
The context of the dictatorship and social unrest
Since the establishment of the Estado Novo, Portugal had lived under an authoritarian regime under António de Oliveira Salazar, who ruled with an iron fist until 1968, when health problems forced him to hand over power to Marcelo Caetano. However, although Caetano promised some reforms, everything remained completely unchanged.
The country was plunged into a deep economic and social crisis, aggravated by the costly colonial wars in Africa. Not only did these wars entail enormous economic expense, but they also forced thousands of young Portuguese to enlist in an unpopular conflict, which increased discontent in society.
As tensions grew, a group of army officers, known as the Armed Forces Movement (MFA), began to organize in secret with the aim of overthrowing the regime.
The sign of freedom: “Grândola, Vila Morena”
The early morning of April 25 began with a signal that would change the history of Portugal. At 12:20 p.m., the song “Grândola, Vila Morena”, by José Afonso, was played by Radio Renascença. This melody had been censored by the dictatorship, but it had been previously agreed that it would be the signal for the beginning of the uprising. The song, which spoke of fraternity and social justice, resounded as a hymn of freedom.
The symbolic gesture of the carnation on the gun
What could have been a violent uprising was transformed into a symbolic act of peaceful resistance. In the early morning hours, a soldier came across a woman carrying a bouquet of red carnations. In a spontaneous gesture, the soldier placed a flower on the tip of his rifle, marking the beginning of a historic moment. This act of peaceful disobedience was quickly imitated by other soldiers, and the soldiers’ rifles were filled with flowers.
The carnation thus became the symbol of a bloodless revolution, which would prove that change does not always require violence.
The fall of the dictatorship and the road to democracy
Throughout the day, the military took control of key points in the country. Caetano surrendered without resistance. The revolution was carried out with astonishing speed and, by the end of the day, the Estado Novo regime no longer existed.
In 1975, Portugal held its first free elections, which allowed for the creation of a democratic constitution. It also marked the end of the Portuguese colonial cycle. In the following months, independence was granted to former African colonies such as Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe.
All this was a major revolution at the international level, as it had a domino effect on other dictatorships, such as that of Spain. The peaceful transition to democracy that followed the death of Francisco Franco in 1975 was influenced by events in Portugal. In fact, seeing the transition in its neighboring country, both the Spanish government and opposition saw the possibility of a similar transformation without resorting to violence.
A legacy of peace and freedom
Thus, April 25 is one of the most significant dates in Portugal’s calendar, Freedom Day. On this day, parades, official events, concerts and a wide variety of cultural activities are held in the Portuguese country. In Lisbon, for example, the most special parade is the one on Avenida da Liberdade, where every year thousands of people march with red carnations.
The red flower, placed on the soldiers’ rifles on that day, still represents the struggle for democracy and peace. In short, a day filled with a festive atmosphere and historical memory in the country.
