The celebrations, starting at 09:00, include at 09:40 the historical recreation “Operation End of Regime”, which began the day before at the Practical School of Cavalry, in Santarém, with the collaboration of the Portuguese Association of Ancient Military Vehicles.
A replica of the column commanded by Captain Salgueiro Maia, who left Santarém towards Lisbon 50 years ago, arrives at Terreiro do Paço in time to parade before Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and other entities.
The old Army vehicles will be parked there until 12:00, allowing citizens to interact with the April military personnel present.
“A 'M47 Patton' combat car will also be on display, representing the military forces loyal to the Government of Marcelo Caetano”, informs the Commemorative Commission, led by historian and executive commissioner Maria Inácia Rezola.
The commission “joins the collective mobilization to mark 50 years since the overthrow of the dictatorship and celebrate 50 years of freedom”, on the streets of Lisbon, calling on citizens to follow “the paths of revolution”.
The successful coup carried out half a century ago by the Armed Forces Movement (MFA) overthrew the authoritarian regime in force for 48 years in Portugal, first as the National Dictatorship, after the 28th of May 1926, and then with Salazar's Estado Novo. , when the corporate-inspired Constitution came into force in 1933.
At 11:30, the solemn ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April will take place at the Assembly of the Republic, in São Bento.
Meanwhile, in downtown Lisbon, the “Operation End of Regime” recreation resumes at 12:00.
“The old military vehicles begin the recreation of the march on the Carmo Barracks and the siege of the site. The route taken in 1974 will be reconstructed, leaving Terreiro do Paço to Rossio, going up Rua do Carmo and Rua do Sacramento”, according to the program.
The vehicles, which symbolize the MFA, are then displayed in Largo do Carmo, until 4:00 pm, with the Carmo Barracks open to the public all day.
Organized by the Popular Celebrations Promotion Commission, the traditional 25th of April parade, on Avenida da Liberdade, starts at 3:00 pm, ending in Rossio, where political interventions and cultural moments take place.
At 4:00 pm, the historical reconstruction begins again in Largo do Carmo, from where a military column leaves for the Pontinha barracks, staging the transport of the deposed president of the Council, Marcelo Caetano, to the MFA command post, in which he highlighted the coup strategist and then Major Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho.
In Lisbon, the celebrations begin today, at 10pm, at Terreiro do Paço, with the show “Uma idea de futuro” and the video mapping “25 de Abril, Thursday”.
In the audiovisual show, with free entry, six young people participate “who draw a portrait of today's Portugal and show the path taken”, in addition to 180 musicians who create the soundtrack based on themes by José Afonso, José Mário Branco, Sérgio Godinho, Fausto, Adriano Correia de Oliveira, Fernando Lopes Graça and Carlos Paredes.
Also for today, at 10:15 pm, in Porto, on Avenida dos Aliados, the “Aliados à Liberdade” concert and the projection of the same 'video mapping' are scheduled.
Canto Nono, Vozes da Rádio and Coral de Letras from the University of Porto participate. Pedro Lamares and Odete Moço will also be on stage, combining voices with poetry.
In Santarém, the program starts today, at 9:00 pm, and includes 'video mapping' and the play “This is the dawn that I expected”, directed by Rita Lello and written by Colonel Correia Bernardo.
According to a study by the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon and ISCTE – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, released on Friday, April 25, 1974, is the most important fact in the History of Portugal for 65% of respondents.