This Monday, the Prime Minister recalled April 25 in Portugal during the ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of General Augusto Pinochet’s coup that overthrew Chile’s democracy, arguing that dictatorships always come to an end.
António Costa took these positions upon arrival at La Moneda Palace, headquarters of the Chilean government, where ceremonies are taking place to mark the 50th anniversary of the military coup that ended Chile’s democratic regime on September 11, 1973.
“It is with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation of the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, to attend these ceremonies. Today is a very important day – a day to remember that democracy is achieved every day and that we work every day to strengthen democracy so that it remains alive,” the Prime Minister said in a short message in Spanish.
António Costa opined that today is “a day to remember that if democracies are never achieved, dictatorships also always end”.
“They may last longer, they may be shorter, but dictatorships are never a solution and that is why they always have an end,” he insisted, before mentioning the Portuguese case of April 25, 1974 and the end of the Estado Novo regime. .
“This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the military coup in Chile, in a few months we will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which ended a 48-year dictatorship in Portugal and opened up the country. towards development, towards European integration, peace and a relationship with all countries in the world, in a very intense multilateral cooperation”he declared.
The prime minister then referred to Salvador Allende, the democratically elected socialist Chilean president, who took his own life on the day of the military coup before being captured by General Pinochet’s forces at La Moneda Palace.
“The spirit of Salvador Allende will always be a reference for all who love freedom and democracy. This is the most important message we must give today. Democracy always needs those who defend it, those who promote it. She only defends herself with democracy with more democracy,” he added.
In addition to António Costa, the presidents of Mexico, López Obrador, Colombia, Gustavo Petro, Argentina, Alberto Fernández and Uruguay, Luís Lacalle Pou, will be present at the ceremonies, as well as dozens of prominent political figures, such as the former leader of the Spanish government Felipe González .
The program started with a reception by the Chilean Head of State at La Moneda Palace. Together with other foreign guests, António Costa had breakfast there and then took a joint tour of the palace.
The first solemn act commemorating the 50th anniversary of the coup will include a cultural moment and a short intervention by Senator Isabel Allende. An hour and a half later, a second commemorative event begins in Constitution Square, with a speech by the President of Chile.
This morning in Santiago de Chile, a “Declaration of Commitment to Democracy” will be signed by the heads of state attending the ceremony and by the Portuguese Prime Minister.
Before returning to Lisbon in the early afternoon, António Costa will meet alone with the President of Chile. A meeting where the leader of the Portuguese executive hopes to discuss the conditions for greater economic cooperation at the bilateral level, especially in areas such as energy and agri-food.
Source: DN
