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Hi Jane!!

Today we celebrate the “Dia da Liberdade” (Freedom’s day), it honors the revolution that happened back on the 25th April 1974, known as the “Revolução dos Cravos” (“Gillyflower’s revolution”), which freed Portugal from dictature.

On April 24, a group of soldiers secretly installed the command post of the coup movement, in Lisbon. At 22h 55m, the song “E depois do Adeus” (“after the Goodbye”) is transmitted. This is one of the signs previously agreed by the coup-makers, which triggers the taking of positions in the first phase of the coup. The second signal is given at 0h20 m, when the song “Grândola, Vila Morena” by Zeca Afonso is transmitted, which confirms the coup and marks the beginning of operations.
The military coup on April 25th had the collaboration of several military regiments that developed a concerted action. The regime reacts, and the Minister of Defense orders forces to advance, in what is not obeyed, given that they had already joined the coup. Terreiro do Paço is occupied in the early hours of the morning. Salgueiro Maia later moves part of his forces to the Quartel do Carmo where the head of government, Marcelo Caetano, is found, who, at the end of the day, surrenders. In the aftermath, four people died when members of the political police (PIDE / DGS) shot at a group that demonstrated it’s premises.

Back in those days people weren’t allowed to gather, even in small groups. The analphabetism rate was 33,6%; movies, books, journals, everything that would come public was submitted to the “blue pencil”, the information was manipulated. The democrats accused of “political crimes” were judged in specific courts, with their sentence already determined; the judges, previously picked, legitimated the fortune, bypassing the fascism laws, intimidating lawyers and witnesses. Political parties were forbidden, there was only one, “The National Union”. The persecutions, tortures and arrestments of activists against the fascist dictature were daily. The political police (PIDE) used the torture (spanking, “statue”, sleep torture, humiliation) as a repressive method, with the intuit of gathering denounces against all the opponents and anti-fascists and, in particular, against the PCP militants and their clandestine apparatus. Only 47% of the population had access to canalized water, 58% to pumbling and electricity only covered 63%.

Women could be repudiated by their husbands if they were not virgins. Divorce wasn’t allowed by catholic marriage. The penal code allowed the husband to kill his wife (if they caught them being adulterous) and their daughters (if caught being corrupt). Women weren’t allowed to travel without their husband’s permission. The mortality rate for women in labour was 73,4% and only 37,5% of the delivers were held in health establishments. Only 25% of the working class were women and still they were denied carriers like magistracy, diplomacy, military and police; being a nurse or a flight attendant implied right´s restriction, like the right to get married.

It’s a very important day for our nation, it makes me so proud that the country got together and fought for the bigger cause and what women have conquered since then. Still a long way to go, but it was a start, and what a honorable one. But, at the same time, celebrating our freedom, I’m reminded of those nations which still live under dictature, of the women who are still cloistered in oppression and submission. It makes me so sad that this is still a reality.

Anyway, I don’t know why I wanted you to read this but I thought it was something of interest to share.

Hope you’re doing well,

Ana❤

P.S: the translations are really messy, I wish you could understand Portuguese 😔