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Thousands march in Portugal for national Freedom Day

Xinhua, April 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Thousands of people marched in downtown Lisbon on Saturday to commemorate the carnation revolution in 1974.

People held red roses and national flags and sang the anthem of the revolution, "Grandola Vila Morena."

The coup 41 years ago that saw a popular uprising overthrow a right-winged dictatorship in less than 24 hours is today still widely celebrated in Portugal.

Both Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and secretary general of the Socialist Party Antonio Costa wore a red rose on their lapels at parliament on Saturday.

However the celebrations have also turned into discontent. The revolution anthem has been revived in protests against austerity and people are demanding the rights they gained after the revolution back.

"April is complying, but the right-wing policy isn't," leader of the Communist Party Jeronimo de Sousa told local media at the march.

"During these 41 years of progress, achievements, retreat and defeats, life has shown that -- taking into account the situation of the country and the millions of impoverished Portuguese -- it is necessary to bring back on the agenda the values of April," he added.

Left Block spokesperson Catarina Martins told the media that those celebrating the anniversary were also protesting "the destruction of the achievements" conquered in 1974.

On Saturday, the Portuguese President called for "indispensable inter-party compromises" at parliament, but his request was met with contempt by left-wing opposition parties.

Some of the protagonists of the revolution were absent at parliament, including former president Mario Soares and the representatives of the April captains.

Support for the center-right ruling coalition in Portugal has eroded amid a financial crisis which led the government to sign a bailout package in 2011, entailing tax hikes and harsh spending cuts. Endit