Portuguese Govt expected to fall

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33929, 23 August 1975, Page 15

Portuguese Govt expected to fall

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright) LISBON, August 22. The Portuguese Communist Party said today that conspirators were preparing a Right-wing military coup which would be the first step towards dictatorship.

A statement issued in the early hours of the morning said that the threat of a coup had mounted in the last few hours.

It coincided with a flurry of military meetings and a flood of rumours which appeared to herald the imminent downfall of the Government headed by General Vasco Goncalves.

Usually well-informed military sources said that the three Armed Forces Chiefs of Staff were meeting during the night with a group of nine moderate officers who have issued a manifesto challenging the proCommunist Prime Minister. General Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, head of the Copcon military security force, said last night that he and

(the moderates — who include a former Foreign Minister, Major Melo Antungs — had presented a compromise political plan to the President. ' General Carvalho is a revolutionary Marxist but he blames the Communist Party influence on the Armed Forces Movement for the present anti-military sentiment among the population. Bloody clashes There have been bloody : clashes in northern Portugal between Communists and ahti-Communists. Copcon has published its own plan which, is much more radically Left-wing than the moderate manifesto, calling for “popular power” rule by neighbourhood councils, close links with the Third World and condemning all major parties — including the Communists. General Carvalho and the Army Chief of Staff (General Carlo’s Fabiao) yesterday visited the headquarters of the military command of the central region at Coimbra. One of the nine moderates, Brigadier Francisco Charais, is regional commander there and military sources sard .that units in! the area were in a state of; great unrest. Marell reported Unconfirmed reports circu-i lating there said that one; pro-Communist unit had] begun marching on Lisbon! in support of General Gon-; calves, but had returned and! that three regiments had been confined to barracks. Official military spokesman at Coimbra said that nothing had happened. General Goncalves was reported to be meeting early today with Captain Ramiro Correia, head of the Propaganda and information

“Fifth Division,” and the; Labour Minister (Major Jose' Costa Martins) — both close; sympathisers. The Information Ministry issued a denial that Genera! i Goncalves had withdrawn to Alfeite, a radical Left-wing marine base where Government ministers took refuge during last March’s abortive 1 Right-wing coup. President Costa Gomes,; considered to favour the! moderates, yesterday had;: talks with two of the! groups’ leaders, as well as with General Carvalho and the chiefs of the Navy and the Air Force, the sources |said. The Navy has issued a communique supporting! General Goncalves’s Govern- ' ment, but also hedging its bets by expressing approval for parts of the Copcon document. Another statement issued on behalf of sergeants in the Air Force expressed unqualified support for the Govern- ’ ment. Political means Today’s Communist Party statement said: “In the new I democratic Portugal, politiIcal questions must be solved : by political means and not I by uprisings and armed coups. The people and the , ! soldiers say no to the coup ' being prepared. The coup 1 will not pass.” The statement continued: ' “The conspirators want, ( with their coup, to impose a new Government by force , which would jeopardise the ( fundamental gains of the,, revolution. - “In the present situation, (

la Government emerging. I from a coup, whatever its I * promises, would mean a leap! to the Right, and at least! the first step towards a die- i tatorship. : “The Portuguese people] will fight firmly against any! ■ attempt to form a Right-! : wing Government and will! i not allow that the great conquests of the revolution, in* : particular the national-! I isations and agrarian reform,, are called into question.” ,- Ne>v document Although apparently in its I death throes, the Govern-' , ment last night approved a 100-page document called “defend the revolution — I lines of programmatic action and tasks of transition.” ; The Information Minister said that it largely consisted of economic guidelines, and. would be handed to the I President. . A communique issued by . his Ministry gave only brief

I headings of its content, in-j tluding development; (strategy, austerity measures.; [ and measures to ensure ’ [employment. The Government also approved a law abolishing tenant farming. The tenant-* farmers now become full! owners of the land they till. The Minister told report-! ers afterwards that it might! (be thought that the Govern-! ment was racing against the clock, but this was not so. I