On the 25th of April 1975, Portugal was released from a 48-year long dictatorship by a military coup.
But this wasn't just any military coup.
The armed forces had been preparing and planning for a long time.
The coup was initiated by nothing less than music (which the Estado Novo dictatorship under António Salazar's rule had heavily censored).
On April 24th at 11:55 pm, with the radio broadcast studio Rádio Renascença (Renaissance Radio) in on and supporting the military's intent, the disk jockey played the song "E depois do Adeus" (After the good-bye) by Paulo de Carvalho, Portugal's entry in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. Upon hearing it, the military captains put their plan into action. The second signal came at 00:20 a.m. on 25 April, confirming the plan, when the studio broadcast "Grândola, Vila Morena" (Grândola is a small city in the south Alentejo region of Portugal and the song speaks of its egality, sense of fraternity, and the power of its people). The song was by Zeca Afonso, an influential political folk musician and singer who was banned from Portuguese radio at the time.
The military made their way from various localities around Lisbon, some distancing more than 50kms. They were to take over strategic points of power in the country's capital, Lisbon. They were prepared to use force, but there was no need for it.
The government capitulated in 6 short hours. Despite no mass demonstrations preceding the coup, spontaneous civilian involvement turned the military coup into a popular revolution, with thousands of people lining the streets and celebrating what they hoped was their imminent freedom.
The April Revolution is also known as the Carnation Revolution because of one person: Celeste Caeiro.
At the time, Celeste worked in a restaurant which was due to celebrate its 1-year anniversary on April 25th. The owner had stocked up on red carnations to give out to customers but with the revolution taking place, they ended up not opening. The flowers were given to the workers.On her way home, Celeste was stopped by a soldier who asked her for a cigarette. She didn't smoke and had none to give. But she had the flowers. Celeste handed the soldier one of her carnations and he placed it in the barrel of his gun. Other soldiers took notice and did the same. Soon, guns with carnations were everywhere.
A photographer saw Celeste and the soldier and registered the moment. The photo was published, turning that moment into the one that gave the revolution its name.
Revolução dos Cravos (Carnation Revolution).
25 de Abril de 1974 (25th of April 1974)
Dia da Liberdade (Freedom Day).
Os Princípios de Abril (The Principles of April).
We honor this historic day and the (peaceful) fight for freedom legacy it has bestowed on Portugal and its people.
Celeste is 90 years old and still recalls the moment she gave that soldier a single red carnation.
We honor her, too.
50 years of democracy. 50 years of the power of the people. 50 years of Freedom.
May the future never repeat the errors of the past.
For a more complete historic perspective, we suggest reading this thread by the reporter Aitor Hernández-Morales, written on the 48th anniversary of the 25th of April: https://x.com/aitorehm/status/1518494112630067200
Abril. Sempre.
Liberdade. Sempre.
