The Lisbon City Council will “remember and commemorate” November 25, 1975, with several initiatives in the city, the municipality led by Carlos Moedas (PSD) said on Tuesday, despite the vote of censure approved in October by the municipal executive.
“April 25, 1974 marked the end of the Estado Novo dictatorship, but this “whole and pure first day”, as Sofia told us, was truly completed only when all those who at that time declared that “in Portugal there will never be there will be opportunities for Western-style democracy,” were defeated on November 25, 1975. April was only reached in November,” the Lisbon municipality said in a statement.
In the note, the first quote about April 25 is from the poet Sofia Mello Breiner Andresen, but nothing is said about the second quoted phrase, which is also quoted by the Liberal Initiative (IL) on the social network Facebook: “In Portugal there will never be an opportunity for a Western-style democracy like in Europe,” and attributes to the historical leader of the PCP: “Alvaro Cunhal, June 1975.”
IL used this quote to announce the “Celebrate Freedom” initiative on November 25th in Jardim da Cordoaria in Porto.
The quote is part of an interview with former Communist general secretary Oriana Fallaci in June 1975, published in the French magazine Paris Match, which the PKP refuted due to a “gross distortion” of Cunhal’s words, but the journalist confirmed the accuracy. translation and said that his statement was recorded.
“It was in this history, one of the main stages of which Lisbon was, that the history of the CML became. [Câmara Municioal de Lisboa] I want to remember,” the municipality of Lisbon adds in a note.
The program on November 25 will begin at 11:00 with the laying of a wreath in honor of military lieutenant José Coimbra and Furriel Joaquim Pires in the Calçada da Ajuda square, followed by a ceremony at 12:15 to mark the 48th anniversary of November 25 in the main hall of the Paços do Concelho.
The conference “Democracy and Freedom: Realizing April in November” will bring Álvaro Belesa, President of Sedes – Association for Economic and Social Development, and political analyst José Miguel Judice at 15:00 to the Palacio Galveyas, Campo Pequeno.
Instituto +Liberdade’s exhibition “25N – The Story They Never Told You” will be on view at Praça do Municipio from November 24 to December 17.
These initiatives, as the municipality said in a note, are justified “because there are dates that we are ethically and socially obliged not to forget.”
“For the sake of democracy and freedom. For the sake of new generations,” adds Carlos Moedas.
The initiative arose after the municipal executive on October 11 approved a vote against the municipal president’s announcement of the celebration of November 25, proposed by the PKP, as “an attempt to diminish the scale and significance of the April Revolution.”
The vote was approved by votes for PS, BE, PCP, Citizens for Lisbon and Free and against PSD and CDS-PP.
In the document, the Communist Council recalls that on October 5, “at a ceremony dedicated to the 113th anniversary of the creation of the Republic, the city of Lisbon was surprised by the statement made by the President of the CML, Carlos Moedas: I take this opportunity to announce that, in addition to the historical date of April 25, we are very happy We will also celebrate November 25 with the initiative.”
“The stated intention, rather than simply designating a date, represents an attempt to minimize the scope and significance of the April Revolution, its achievements and values at a time when the 50th anniversary celebrations began on April 25,” they noted. from those elected from the PKP.
The text of the condemnation vote also mentioned that “from this statement follows, first of all, the inconvenience with April, with the freedom, democracy and social progress that April brought us,” using November 25″ and the falsifications that have become common in some sectors phenomenon to cover up those who do not forgive the fact that the April military and the Portuguese people put an end to fascism.”
Carlos Moedas, elected by the Novos Tempos coalition (PSD/CDS-PP/MPT/PPM/Aliança), announced on October 5 that the city would celebrate “November 25 with a great initiative” in addition to April 25, 1974.” because all dates matter.”
In his speech to several persons, including Prime Minister António Costa, and before the speech of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the Mayor of Lisbon emphasized that there are “dates that become symbols” that can be reduced “to simple ceremonial, repetitive and routine rituals” or “dates that are remembered on paper, but are perceived by people with apathy.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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