At the launch of his book “O 25 de Novembro” – Memórias de um Capitão de Abril (Âncora Editora), held this afternoon at the Associação 25 de Abril headquarters in Lisbon, Vasco Lourenço criticized the government-established commission for celebrating the 50th anniversary of November 25th, describing it as a “farce” and urging the government to feel ashamed of this decision.
“They have the audacity to say it’s an independent, non-partisan commission, but who are they kidding? And, as I say, look in the mirror and be ashamed of the face you see reflected. (…) They are not people of integrity,” he remarked.
Vasco Lourenço also stated that he cannot “view the Assembly of the Republic as upright and responsible” when it appoints “three representatives to this sham commission.”
The April military officer also expressed regret that his “friend” Alípio Tomé Pinto chairs the organizing committee for the date that marked the end of the PREC, revealing that he sent him a message expressing his regret for seeing him involved in this government initiative.
Vasco Lourenço disclosed that he was invited to a tribute for the members of the so-called ‘group of nine’ who are still alive but has already informed the organization that he will not attend.
The colonel emphasized that, despite the divisions following the Carnation Revolution, the “barrier of April 25th” is, for him, “much higher than the barrier of November 25th,” and recounted a story with historic socialist Mário Soares to explain his stance.
“When we created the Associação do 25 de Abril, of which he is an honorary member (…), he contested our existence and said to me: ‘but Vasco Lourenço, you were on one side on November 25th and the communists on the other, and now you are with them in the Association.’ And I told him: ‘Mário, on April 25th, you were on one side and the fascists were on the other, and you have already formed a government with the party furthest to the right of the spectrum, one that, at least theoretically, the fascists would be.'” he recounted.
Earlier, Vasco Lourenço spoke about what’s detailed in his work, such as the theory that Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, contrary to what is often stated, was betrayed by the PCP on November 25th.
The April captain also mentioned the ongoing belief among “many communists” that the former party secretary-general, Álvaro Cunhal, was a traitor on November 25th.
“Even today, many people, many communists, call Álvaro Cunhal a traitor, the communists themselves call him that because he retreated at a certain point, after having ordered an advance, he retreated. And, as I say in the book, Álvaro Cunhal justified himself by saying ‘Careca chickened out.’ Careca was Rosa Coutinho. Why? Because they misread the situation, they expected intervention by the marines, they advanced, and then it didn’t happen,” he detailed.
Vasco Lourenço also admitted he had to read other works to write this memoir because “there were theories that he had missed,” even though he had been at the “center of the events.”
“For instance, the theory of Pires Veloso and Pinheiro de Azevedo who adamantly argue that November 25th was a coup directed by the PCP through Melo Antunes and Ramalho Eanes. That never crossed my mind. But the fact is, it’s written in their books,” he exemplified.
Besides the author, the session was attended by historian Maria Inácia Rezola, who leads the Commemorative Commission for the 50th anniversary of the April 25th, 1974 Revolution, and Colonel Aniceto Afonso.
The events of November 25, 1975, where antagonistic military forces clashed on the ground and about which there is no consensual version, marked the end of the so-called Revolutionary Process in Progress (PREC).
