Lynn Walsh: Right Wing Revolt in Portugal – Arm Workers Against Reaction

[Militant No. 247, 14th March 1975, p. 1 and 8]

Lisbon. Tuesday March 11^th 1975

At 12.00 pm today there were attacks by paratroopers and some of the airforce on three barracks in and around Lisbon. The main one was the barracks of the Light Infantry regiment, the key unit supporting the Armed Forces Movement. Nine helicopters of paratroopers landed on the outskirts of Lisbon Airport. Jet fighters shot up and bombed barracks and also damaged surrounding areas.

It is not clear how many were injured, but ambulances have been sent in. The area has been sealed off.

It was an attempted right wing coup – from units of the paratroopers and the Air Force. The revolt was defeated by 1.30 pm.

The Armed Forces Movement and commander of COPCON [special ‘republican guard’] announced the revolt completely defeated. Armoured cars and soldiers are all over. Only two or their aircraft were involved!

At 12.45 pm the Communist Party and the Intersindical [trade union federation] called on the workers to assemble in the factories and barrios [workers’ residential districts] to support the Armed Forces Movement and defend democracy. Workers converged on main roads to Lisbon and set up barricades to prevent reactionaries moving, as on 28^th September 1974 when Spinola attempted his first coup.

The CP, the Intersindical and the Socialist Party called demonstrations against the coup for this evening. Already big crowds are gathering in the Rossio and the Campo Pequeno, near the CP headquarters and outside the SP headquarters. Massive demonstrations are expected tonight.

Lynn Walsh