Warning to Salazar

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28606, 7 June 1958, Page 12

Warning to Salazar

Is Portugal moving towards democratic procedures? The fact that the presidential election tomorrow will be the first to be brought to a vote since Dr. Salazar came to power 26 years ago is a heartening sign that the grip in which he has held the country may be relaxing. At the least, it is a sign that the growing restiveness of critics of the regime cannot be ignored, nor, apparently, suppressed.

The presidential campaign began with the usual spate of political trials designed to discourage opposition to the official candidate, Admiral Americo Tomas. The usual electoral procedure was announced, by which, according to the American magazine, “ Time ”, the opposition campaign was limited to 30 days, the opposition candidates were expected to withdraw before election day, street demonstrations of any kind were prohibited, and the probability was canvassed that any opposition candidate would be labelled Communist. The terms were enough to scare off two candidates, but a third, General Humberto Delgado, has not been deterred. Against increasing official disapproval, he has forced the regime to class him as “ politically fit ” to stand for the election. Since General Delgado is Director-General of Civil Aviation, his employers could scarcely arrest him as a Communist, but he has been harassed at every turn. His enthusiastic street meetings have been fired on by the police on the ground that such “ demonstrations ” follow “ the “ Communist pattern ”, his committee men have been arrested, and he has been called “ a public menace ”. Dr. Salazar has prided himself on being a «* discreet ” dictator and any gross measures to remove General Delgado from the hustings at a late stage of the campaign could not but be noticed unfavourably everywhere. In spite of his popularity and the novelty of a real election, General Delgado has no hope of winning the post, whicn is, in any case, only that of cipher to Dr. Salazar. Indeed. Admiral Tomas has not even bothered to campaign, for the regime has ample powers to secure the election of its candidate. Because of literacy and

income qualifications, about half of the electorate is disfranchised for a start, and there are other disqualification provisions so loosely defined as to give Dr. Salazar full discretion in their application. Neither is any opposition representative likely to be present at the counting of votes. General Delgado has called for the support of all “ non-totalitarian liberal citi- “ zens ”, the revision of electoral procedure, and the ending of repression of opponents of the regime. Even if his chances of election are negligible, these public appeals must impress and hearten many Portuguese. General Delgado’s candidature reflects the dissatisfaction of at least a small group in the ruling party. The popularity General Delgado has won is a clear warning to Dr. Salazar.