The National Salvation Junta (, ) was a group of

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s designated to maintain the government of

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in April 1974 after the

Carnation Revolution The Carnation Revolution (), code-named Operation Historic Turn (), also known as the 25 April (), was a military coup by military officers that overthrew the Estado Novo government on 25 April 1974 in Portugal. The coup produced major socia ...

had overthrown the '' Estado Novo'' dictatorial regime. This junta assumed power following a

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of its president, António de Spínola, at 1:30 a.m. on 26 April 1974. The National Salvation Junta was the ''

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'' governing body of Portugal following the Carnation Revolution.

Purpose

The Junta was a pre-planned part of the national reform program envisioned by the '' Movimento das Forças Armadas'' (Movement of the Armed Forces; MFA), which aimed to exercise political power after the revolution and prior to the formation of a civilian government in order to prevent the collapse of the Presidency of the Republic (then held by Rear-Admiral Américo Tomás) and of the government. It entailed the dissolution of the

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and of the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

. The Constitutional Law 1/74 of 25 April 1974 was promulgated in order to set this process in motion. The Junta assumed upon itself the power to choose the president and vice-president. On an interim basis, the Junta also exercised the functions of the Presidency of the Republic (from 26 April to 15 May, when it designated as Head of State the president of the Junta, António de Spínola) and of President of the Council (from 26 April to 16 May, when the MFA-chosen First Provisional Government of Portugal took power, headed by Adelino da Palma Carlos).

Members

The Junta was composed of: * General António Ribeiro de Spínola (

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

), * General Francisco da Costa Gomes (

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

), * Brigadier Jaime Silvério Marques (

), * General Diogo Neto (

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– absent in

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), * Colonel Carlos Galvão de Melo (

), * Naval Captain José Baptista Pinheiro de Azevedo (

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

), * Naval Commander António Alva Rosa Coutinho (

). On 30 September 1974 the staff was reorganized: * General Francisco da Costa Gomes (president,

), * Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Alberto Idães Soares Fabião (former governor of

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). * Lieutenant-Colonel Nuno Fisher Lopes Pires (

). * Vice-Admiral José Pinheiro de Azevedo (

). * Naval Captain Silvano Alves Ribeiro (

), during the absence of Naval Commander António Rosa Coutinho, who was appointed the governor of

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. * Lieutenant-Colonel Narciso Mendes Dias (

), * Lieutenant-Colonel Aníbal Pinho Freire (

Abolition

Constitutional Law 5/75 of 14 March 1975 abolished the National Salvation Junta and established the Revolutionary Council of Portugal (Conselho da Revolução de Portugal), which included former members of the Junta.

References

Carnation Revolution 1974 in Portugal 1975 in Portugal Military history of Portugal Political history of Portugal Presidents of Portugal Prime ministers of Portugal 1974 establishments in Portugal 1975 disestablishments in Portugal 1970s in Portugal Provisional governments States and territories disestablished in 1975 {{Portugal-poli-stub