Portugal: return to basic freedoms

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 13

Portugal: return to basic freedoms

P A -Reuter—Copyrig

LISBON, April 28.

The Portuguese Socialist leader, Mr Mario Soares, is expected to return home from exile in France today, apparently intent on taking a key role in helping to shape a democratic future for Portugal. Ihe tieu military regime that assumed power on I hursday. after the oxerthrow of the Government led by Dr Marcello Gaetano—Mr Soares's arch enemy —paved the way for the end of the Socialist leader’s five years of enforced exile when it pledged publicly to give the Portuguese back the freedoms they’ had been denied for more than a generation.

Mr Soares, who is 19 will be greeted on arrival by hundreds ol fellow-Socialists who, until the coup d’etat had remained underground in a country where all political partie? except the ruling National Popular Action disbanded by the new regime, were outlawed

There seems little doubt that Mr Soares will seek to steer to the moderate Left the provisional Government that the new “junta of national salvation” has announced it will appoint w-ithin three weeks. Mr Soares said in Paris on Friday: "I will return home

if we are witnessing a return to democracy and the end of the colonial war.” Mr Soares and the Socialists he leads — an active force during the ousted Government’s tenure — want full independence for the Portuguese African territories ■of Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea. However, General Antonio de Spinola, the leader of the i junta, has argued that there ; should be progressive autonomy and regionalisation in these African provinces, and that time must be allowed to give their peoples selfdetermination. The issue may well prove to be a stumbling-block between General Spinola and not only Mr Soares but groups on the extreme Left-

wing: Communist and other radical organisations are calling for popular demonstrations on May 1 urging the people to make it a "Red May Day.” in which the thorny issue of how much independence the "colonies” should receive, and how soon, may figure prominently. General Spinola gave a I warning yesterday against any attempt to exploit popular rejoicing over his takeover, and said that force! would be used, if necessary, I to prevent anarchy. The general’s junta is proceeding with its programme [to restore basic freedoms to I Portugal, and to hold a General Election within a year. It fulfilled one of its pledges yesterday, when it released 99 political prisoners of the ousted regime, and began a

reshuffle of high official posts, after disbanding the hated secret police force and imprisoning 180 of its members, and sending Dr Caetano and President Thomaz into exile in Madeira.

The junta has lifted press ■ censorship, and the PortuIguese yesterday read unI biased newspaper reports, land heard songs hitherto banned. Even the Roman Catholic radio station in Lisbon broadcast revolutionary marches. Details of the early moments of the coup d’etat have begun to emerge: an army major who had a part in the uprising told reporters that the password that set the revolt in motion was the title of an old Portuguese song, “And After the Goodbye.” Young officers all over the country, on hearing ihe song broadcast on the armed forces’ radio network, went into action.