The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Portugal celebrates 50 years of democracy amid far- right surge PRESIDENT ADDRESSES COLONIAL PAST, SLAVERY
VETERAN MILITARY officer Captain Joaquim Correia Bernardo, 84, remembers the revolution that toppled Portugal's fascist dictatorship five decades ago as if it were yesterday.
He was in his thirties when he helped organise the April 25, 1974 military coup that returned Portugal to democracy after 48 years of authoritarian rule.
In the city of Santarem, as he stood next to the statue of Salgueiro Maia, an army captain who played a crucial role in the revolution, Correia Bernardo said its values, such as democratic participation and respect for one another, must be upheld. “Freedom cannot be lost,” he said.
His words have a particular resonance as the far- right is on the march again in Portugal.
It was from a military base in Santarem that a column of vehicles left to head to the capital Lisbon in 1974. Correia Bernardo stayed behind as it was his duty to put into action a “Plan B” in case the coup did not go as planned.
The almost bloodless coup was successful, becoming known as the “Carnation Revolution” be
Lisbon: President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said Tuesday Portugal was responsible for crimes during transatlantic slavery and the colonial era, and suggested need for reparations. Portugal trafficked nearly 6 million Africans, more than any other European nation. The colonial era, during which parts of India, were subjected to Portuguese rule, is often perceived as a source of pride in the country. cause soldiers placed blossoms in the barrels of their guns. It also led to the collapse of Portuguese colonial rule overseas, notably in Africa, where wars against national liberation movements had exhausted the military and drained state coffers.
But now, as the Portuguese prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of the dictatorship, with thousands expected to gather in the streets, the farright is rebounding following a general election last month.
Founded in 2019, the antiimmigration, populist Chega, led by a former sports commentator known for his derogatory remarks against ethnic minorities, is now the third- largest political party in Portugal.
Correia Bernardo and academics say Chega's growth was due to a perception that mainstream politicians have failed to meet citizens' needs.
Some of the ideals of the ousted regime have persisted and Chega's leader Andre Ventura has adopted a narrative that allowed him to garner support, they say. Correia Bernardo said failures by consecutive governments to tackle social discontent over issues such as a housing crisis and lo’w salaries fuelled Chega’s rise.