Portugal marks 47th anniversary of Carnation Revolution, thousands parade in Lisbon

Portugal on April 25 marked the 47th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution that overthrew the dictatorship and instituted democracy in the European country in 1974. To celebrate the occasion, thousands of people paraded on Liberty Avenue in the centre of Lisbon, the country’s capital. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has still tightened its grip across the globe, the traditional Liberty Parade was held under the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the Directorate-General of Health with participants wearing facemasks and maintaining distance.

As per the news agency ANI report, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said on Sunday at the Assembly of the Republic that the country needs to learn “lessons from history without fear" to "combat personal or social intolerance today." He further said, “There will always be one Portugal that we love and are proud of. Long live the April 25, long live Portugal.”

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Portugal Antonia Costa celebrated the Carnation Revolution by inaugurating the nation’s largest health centre in Sintra municipality in the capital’s Metropolitan region. "It was April 25 that allowed us to have the National Health Service public, universal, free and accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live or whatever their economic situation is," said Costa.

What is Carnation Revolution?

April 25, 1974, marks one of the most important days of modern Portuguese history because of the Carnation Revolution which is famous for the toppling of an authoritarian government and also ending fascism in Portugal without any significant violence. The military coup also led to a new democracy. Since then, April 25 in Portugal is celebrated as a National Holiday that ended the Estado Novo regime. The Estado Novo (Second Republic) regime reportedly began in 1933 under the leadership of Prime Minister and dictator Antonio Salazar. This was also after the prior coup overthrew the 16-year First Republic. 

Even one of Lisbon’s two famous bridges has been named after the revolution. The bridge that heads towards beaches of Costa da Caparica and Almada, has been nicknamed Portugal’s Golden Gate Bridge but it is officially called Ponte 25 de Abril (25 of April Bridge).

Image credits: @vnbrkl/Twitter