The day started early for Carlos Moedas. The Mayor of Lisbon (CML) went this Saturday to Calçada da Ajuda, next to the old Military Police barracks, where two commandos were killed on November 25, 1975: Lieutenant José Coimbra and Furriel Joaquim Pires. It was the only place in the capital where bloodshed took place on the day that will go down in history, in the words of Carlos Moedas: such as “consolidating democracy in this country, against extremism and radicalism”. “Here we are the moderates,” he said, addressing those attending the ceremonies in Calçada da Ajuda and later in Paços do Concelho.
Many of the officers on the ground gathered and two wreaths were laid, one by the city council and the other by the Belém Parish Council, in honor of the soldiers killed in the gun battle involving Military Police officers (PM ) and the Amadora commandos, who moved there to keep the rebels under control. “These events will remain forever in our memories for many years to come,” said Augusto Fiúza, one of the commandos involved in the firefight. “I saw furriel Pires die, he fell here next to us,” he laments.
In Benfica, on the other side of the city, that day there was a terrified pregnant woman: it was Delfina Neves, wife of Colonel Jaime Neves, commander of the Amadora Commandos. “I was six months pregnant with my son and I didn’t see my husband for six days. I was very scared,” recalls the elderly woman, already in the Salão Nobre of Lisbon City Hall. The second part of this initiative by Carlos Moedas took place here, with the commemoration ceremony of the 48th anniversary of November 25, 1975.
“At that time there were no mobile phones, there was no way to contact my husband. I found out where he was on television,” says DN Delfina Neves who at the time had to leave the house in an unusual way ‘with a wig so that they would not recognize me, because there was a UDP headquarters right next to our house, on the Estrada de Benfica, and they all went to my area When Jaime November 25 made, the movements immediately started on the entire left side.’ Jaime Neves was the armed wing of Ramalho Eanes, the future President of the Republic who at the time of the events was one of the masterminds of military operations. Vítor Pires, the brother of furriel Joaquim Pires, was also present in the town hall. “When my brother died, I was only nine years old. He was like a second father,” he emotionally revealed to DN.
On the left, only the PS was present at the ceremonies
Paulo Rangel, PSD MEP, and Nuno Melo, CDS president, were two of the most prominent political figures present at the November 25 celebrations. On the left only municipal representatives of the PS, as is the case with Manuel Lage. “The PS understands that there are dates that deserve to be celebrated. Just like April 25, November 25 is one of them,” he says.
Confronted with the fact that the PS is the only left-wing party present at the festivities, he says: “The PS has no problem with November 25. We have come to a very good solution.” About the absence of communists and blockers, he says: “Only they can respond.” On the sidelines of the initiative, DN Carlos tried to question Moedas on the same subject, but the mayor fled. “Well, I haven’t seen them.”, he said simply, denying further comment beyond the long speech he had given.
To conclude this speech, which lasted about half an hour, Moedas looked at the present. “Today we see radicalism on the left and right attacking moderates. There is radical activism,” he said by way of warning.
Source: DN
