25th April 1974: Freedom’s day Portuguese Revolution
Celebration of the revolt of the Portuguese military that took place in Lisbon, on the 25th of April of 1974.
A Portuguese Revolution
Freedom´s Day is celebrated in Portugal on April 25th. This date celebrates the revolt of the Portuguese military, which on April 25, 1974 carried out a military coup d'état, ending the dictatorial regime of the Estado Novo, which was led by António de Oliveira Salazar.
The Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution got its name from the fact that almost no shots were fired, and from restaurant worker Celeste Caeiro who offered carnations to soldiers when the population took to the streets to celebrate the end of the dictatorship.
The first revolutionary action in the area of justice is manifested in the release of political prisoners and the extinction of political courts.
It also expresses the desire to guarantee the independence and dignification of the judiciary, with the autonomy of judicial institutions in relation to the Ministry of Justice.
What the local experts say
Interview's main points
Interviewer - What did April 25 mean in 1974 and what it still means for the Portuguese people?
Noa - I think that in 1974 meant mainly a time and change and conquest, there was a rather
important change, we conquered the right to freedom of expression and even politicians and
today means the pride we have for the action of resistance and also means that we remember,
as the song "Grândola Vila Morena" says, that really the people are in charge and if we think
something is wrong we have the power to change.
Interviewer - …and at that time we really managed to conquer something that did not exist at the
time that was freedom of expression, is not it? And regarding life, do you know what life was like back then, before April 25, 1974? What was happening then and what has changed since then from the moment we had the revolution?
Salvador - I think people’s lives were very limited, there was fear and people were very
concerned about what they could say and think, if it was not in accordance with what the State
was wanting to do and even in their work they had to be careful what they were told what to
do with their co-workers or even bosses, if they were doing something against the State, were
always worried, it was a very worried life, they were afraid to do a lot of things.
I think it has to do with Peace, with Freedom. The weapons are a symbol of war, of
violence, and when the people put the nails in the barrel, at the tip of the guns, the rifles, it
was a symbol that the people wanted peace, they just wanted their freedom of expression,
which I believe is what we all want.
Interviewer - What was the role of the resistance in the fall of the dictatorship in 1974? What
do you think happened and why? What was the importance of the Portuguese resistance?
Miguel - The resistance had a very important role because it was the main factor for the
revolution, the gathering of the people. I think it was the main piece for the revolution to take
place so that rights were acquired.
Violante ... the fundamental and most basic rights of every Portuguese citizen. Therefore,
resistance means that, resisting those who oppressed, those who did not let each of us be who
we actually were.
