The 25th of April and the creation of the PALOP.
April 25th is celebrated today, a historic date not only for Portugal, as the "Carnation Revolution” put an end to the dictatorship, but also to the countries of the PALOP, because without this historical moment, the history of the independence of the “portuguese colonies” could have been quite different.
The history of Portuguese colonization in Africa began nearly 600 years ago with the conquest of Ceuta on 22 August 1415 and ended with the independence of Angola on 11 November 1975.
The reason that Angola was the last Portuguese overseas province to gain independence was not by chance, in reality it was the closing of a circle, as the history of “Carnation Revolution” occurred on April 25, 1974, writing begins with the beginning of the armed war in Africa, more precisely in Angola on February 4, 1961.
the beginning of the end
Portugal was the first Global Superpower and maintained ironclad control of its overseas provinces for centuries. Until one day, in the already distant year of 1961, the armed revolution in Angola begins, with the attack carried out by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), on 4 February, to the prison of São Paulo, in Luanda, and to a police station, where seven policemen were killed.
Shortly afterwards, in northern Angola, the União das Populações de Angola (UPA), which was mainly dedicated to rural guerrilla warfare, launched several attacks against the population. Angola was thus the first overseas region, where the organized armed struggle against Portuguese rule began.
This revolutionary movement in Africa began to gain international recognition when, under the auspices of King Hassan II, the Conference of Nationalist Organizations of Portuguese Colonies (CONCP) was held.
This conference was initiated by the MPLA, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and the League of Goa, having met for the first time in Casablanca (Morocco), from 18 to 20 April 1961.
The purpose of the conference was to “coordinate the efforts of nationalist movements and establish effective means to initiate the struggle against Portuguese colonialism".
Stimulated by events in Africa, in Portugal, in the month of April (a foreshadowing of the future 25th of April), a first failed attempt at a coup d’état takes place, the “polished”, led by Botelho Moniz, the then Defense Minister.
In June 1961, another important event for the liberation struggle in Africa took place. It was the escape of a group of 60 students from Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, among others, whose objective was to join the liberation struggle.
This clandestine escape changed the fate of future Portuguese-speaking African countries, as these students included future presidents, ministers, generals and doctors who would play an important role in guiding the destiny of their countries.
Among the most famous were the former presidents of Cape Verde, Pedro Pires and of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano. The flight that left Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto, passed through Spain, France and Germany, before reaching Africa.
The path towards 25 de Abril continues with the beginning of the armed struggle in Guinea-Bissau, on 23 January 1963, with the attack on the Tite barracks, in the south of the country, followed by the beginning of the armed struggle in Mozambique. , with the attack on Chai, in Cabo Delgado on September 25, 1964.
The path towards the 25th of April
The path towards the 25th of April 1974 begins with the “dismantling” of the Portuguese Empire, which means that the position of Portugal begins to become more fragile at an international level.
What most people think is that this “dismantling” of the Empire begins when Indian troops enter Goa, Daman and Diu on December 18, 1961, but that was not the case. In fact, the first overseas territory “to fall” was in Africa, in August 1961, with the Loss of Aid, occupied by Dahomey (present-day Benin), with Portugal only recognizing the fact after April 25, 1975.
Ajuda was one of the smallest colonies in the world, with only 4,5 hectares of territory. In reality, it was just a fortress, the Fortress of São João Baptista de Ajudá founded in 1680 by the Portuguese and which served, above all, as a trading post.
With the beginning of the loss of the overseas provinces and the intensification of the armed campaigns in Africa, discontent among the military begins to rise and the seeds of revolution begin to bloom.
At the beginning of July 1970, at the end of the “International Conference on Solidarity with the Peoples of the Portuguese Colonies” that took place in Rome, Pope Paul VI received the leaders of the MPLA, PAIGC and FRELIMO, more precisely, Agostinho Neto, Amílcar Cabral and Marcelino dos Santos, further weakening Portugal's position.
In March 1971, the future 25th of April was rehearsed again, when the Ação Revolucionaria Armada (ARA), the military arm of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), led by Álvaro Cunhal, destroyed 16 helicopters and 11 planes at the Tancos Air Base. , followed in October of the same year by an attack against NATO's Ibero-Atlantic Command (COMIBERLANT) in Oeiras.
In a resolution approved on November 14, 1972, the UN General Assembly recognizes the legitimacy of the armed struggle in Africa against Portugal, where they state:
“The national liberation movements of Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Mozambique are the authentic representatives of the true aspirations of the peoples of these territories”.
Meanwhile the war in Mozambique begins to take proportions "uncomfortable”. The Chawola, Wiriyamu and Juwau massacres gained international coverage and went down in history as three of the most serious massacres that took place during the war. These massacres made the discontent of the soldiers who did not see themselves in that war even higher.
On January 20, 1973, the leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), Amílcar Cabral, was assassinated in Conakry, which led the movement to receive more international support, namely when they received weapons that led to gain greater supremacy on the ground.
The weapons in question were surface-to-air missiles of the SAM-7 type (the famous Strella) which allowed him to shoot down planes, thus weakening the Portuguese Air Force, reducing the protection of Portuguese soldiers on the ground.
Armed with this new weapon, the PAIGC controlled the entire national territory, with the exception of Bissau, the capital, but it was enough to, on December 24, 1973, proclaim unilateral independence in the forests of Madina Boé.
The new state was immediately recognized internationally by many countries and, on 2 November 1973, the UN General Assembly welcomed independence in a vote that had 93 votes in favour, 30 abstentions and only seven votes against (Portugal, Brazil, Spain, South Africa, USA, Great Britain and Greece).
Previously, more precisely on September 9, 1973, the growing discontent with the war, led, in a clandestine meeting, in Monte Sobral (Alcáçovas) to the foundation of the Movimento dos Capitães, which would give rise to the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA), the movement that was behind the “Carnation Revolution” that would take place on April 25, 1974.
Also in September, the first important meeting between the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) and the Socialist Party (PS) takes place, in which, in a joint communiqué, they declare:
“It is necessary to liquidate the fascist dictatorship in order to put an end to the colonial war, conquer democratic freedoms and start negotiations with a view to the complete and immediate independence of the peoples of Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique”.
April 25, 1974, the “Carnation Revolution”
On April 25, 1974, a coup d'état led by the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA) deposed the Estado Novo regime, the oldest European dictatorship, in power since 1933.
The population, despite the radio requests to stay at home, encouraged by the PCP's organized cells, took to the streets massively and joined the coup. By demand of Marcello Caetano who refuses to hand over power to “a simple captain” is called General António de Spínola who becomes president of the Board of National Salvation.
On 15 May, General Spínola is appointed President of the Republic and Adelino da Palma Carlos assumes the position of Prime Minister. Spínola argues that the fate of Overseas would have to be decided "for all those who call and called that land theirs”, thus paving the way for the independence of the then overseas provinces.
Conclusion
The struggle in the colonies, especially in Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, created the Movement of Captains which later culminated in the 25th of April, but despite several fears among the liberation movements, and beyond, that General Spínola were interested in a format "neocolonial“, the Movement of Captains succeeded.
Thanks to the MFA and 25 de Abril, the foundations were created that led to the independence of the former overseas provinces and, subsequently, to the creation of the PALOP.
What do you think of the 25th of April? Do you agree that it was important for the independence of the overseas provinces and for the creation of the PALOP? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
See also:
PALOP finally free from the death penalty
The AfDB and the importance of the PALOP in Africa
Cape Verde is the freest country in Africa
Picture: © casacomum.org / Documents Amílcar Cabral
