Revolucion de los Claveles - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. The Revolución de los Claveles, also known as the Carnation Revolution, took place in Portugal on April 25, 1974.
- 2. The revolution was a peaceful military coup that overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime, which had been in power since 1933.
- 3. The name "Carnation Revolution" comes from the fact that many of the soldiers involved in the coup placed red carnations in the barrels of their rifles as a symbol of peace.
- 4. The revolution was largely organized by a group of left-wing military officers who were opposed to the regime's colonial wars in Africa and its repressive policies at home.
- 5. The coup was sparked by the imprisonment of several military officers who had been critical of the regime's handling of the colonial wars.
- 6. The revolution was largely bloodless, with only a few casualties reported. The regime's leader, Marcelo Caetano, was forced to flee the country, and a new government was formed.
- 7. The revolution led to the end of the colonial wars in Africa and the independence of Portugal's African colonies of Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- 8. The new government implemented a series of democratic reforms, including the legalization of political parties, freedom of the press, and the right to strike.
- 9. The revolution was widely celebrated by the Portuguese people, who took to the streets in large numbers to express their joy and relief at the end of the dictatorship.
- 10. The Revolución de los Claveles is considered a turning point in Portuguese history and is celebrated every year on April 25 as a national holiday known as Freedom Day.