DILI, 25 april 2024 (TATOLI) – The city of Lisbon is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with events and activities in which President José Ramos-Horta is participating.
The commemorations began at 9:30 am to 10:30 am with a military ceremony at ‘Praça do Comércio’ presided over by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Around 9:40 am, a historical reenactment took place of the “Operation to Overthrow the Regime” which ended the dictatorship of the Estado Novo on April 25, 1974.
A parade of vintage military vehicles passed through Terreiro do Paço in front of important participants. These vehicles, along with an M47 Patton tank representing the forces that defied the Marcelo Caetano regime that was overthrown at the time, will remain in place until noon to allow the public to interact with the “Military of April” personnel.
The solemn commemoration continues at 11:30 am with a ceremony at the Assembly of the Republic organized by the sovereign body.
The day’s events conclude with a State banquet at the ‘Palácio Nacional da Ajuda’ organized by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and marking the presence of Heads of State and governments present for the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Carnation Revolution in Portugal after four decades of dictatorship.
Further events and activities will take place in the coming days to mark the historic anniversary on April 25, 1974, which changed Portuguese history. The Carnation Revolution got its name from the iconic images of protesters placing carnation flowers into the barrels of troops’ guns.
On april 24, President Horta welcomed by President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Belém Palace in Lisbon. President Ramos-Horta is visiting Portugal to participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution on april 25.
In an interview after this meeting, President Ramos-Horta expressed his gratitude to President Marcelo for the invitation to participate in the commemoration of this historically significant event for Portugal. He said, “Timor-Leste has a special relationship with Portugal, and it is important to maintain good relations with Portugal”.
He further spoke about the positive nature of this discussion, saying: “The meeting went very well, with friendly discussions focused on humanitarian values that are very important to uphold our national interests and maintain strong diplomatic relations”.
The Carnation Revolution in 1974 saw the Estado Novo regime in Portugal give way to democracy and the independence of Portuguese territories overseas, including Timor-Leste.
President Ramos-Horta’s visit demonstrates the strong bond between the two nations, connected by their shared history when they were together. The Head of State’s participation in the 50th anniversary event in Lisbon this week will serve as a symbolic representation of this relationship.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
