50 years ago, at around this hour, a group of military conspirators occupied the national radio headquarters in Lisbon and played an unauthorized song. It was the secret code that the other conspirators were waiting for in military bases all over the country. They announced on the radio that the military was going to overthrow the fascist government and call for free elections.
An hour later, a large column of tanks and armored vehicles entered the capital and sieged the buildings of the government, secret police and national guard. The government was completely lost and unable to answer. Every minute more and more soldiers and police offers deserted their posts, disobeyed government orders and joined the revolution.
They played the waiting game. The rebellious soldiers, led by Captain Salgueiro Maia (the guy speaking in the picture below), announced that the agents of the secret police would not be harmed and the government would be allowed to flee the country. The prime minister initially fled to the headquarters of the secret police and during the standoff, the agents fired from the windows killing 4 civilians outside, the only 4 dead in the revolution.
After that, a deadline was set, after which the soldiers would storm the building.
The people filled the streets in support for the soldiers and in one of those random events that became iconic, a lady selling flowers started giving all the soldiers carnations. The flower became the symbol of the revolution and of freedom in Portugal.
The famous Celeste who gave the carnations away on that day.
Once it became clear they had lost control of the country, the government agreed to give the power to the military. The prime minister and other members fled to the airport, where later they would fly to Brazil.
Victory was achieved and there was celebration throughout the country.
Fighting in the former colonies ended, political prisoners were released, exiled artists and politicians returned, civic associations and political parties were legalized and less than year later Portugal held its first democratic and free elections.
As the saying goes around here: 25TH OF APRIL ALWAYS! FASCISM NEVER AGAIN!
An hour later, a large column of tanks and armored vehicles entered the capital and sieged the buildings of the government, secret police and national guard. The government was completely lost and unable to answer. Every minute more and more soldiers and police offers deserted their posts, disobeyed government orders and joined the revolution.
They played the waiting game. The rebellious soldiers, led by Captain Salgueiro Maia (the guy speaking in the picture below), announced that the agents of the secret police would not be harmed and the government would be allowed to flee the country. The prime minister initially fled to the headquarters of the secret police and during the standoff, the agents fired from the windows killing 4 civilians outside, the only 4 dead in the revolution.
After that, a deadline was set, after which the soldiers would storm the building.
The people filled the streets in support for the soldiers and in one of those random events that became iconic, a lady selling flowers started giving all the soldiers carnations. The flower became the symbol of the revolution and of freedom in Portugal.
The famous Celeste who gave the carnations away on that day.
Once it became clear they had lost control of the country, the government agreed to give the power to the military. The prime minister and other members fled to the airport, where later they would fly to Brazil.
Victory was achieved and there was celebration throughout the country.
Fighting in the former colonies ended, political prisoners were released, exiled artists and politicians returned, civic associations and political parties were legalized and less than year later Portugal held its first democratic and free elections.
As the saying goes around here: 25TH OF APRIL ALWAYS! FASCISM NEVER AGAIN!
