Armed Forces Movement

The Movement of the Armed Forces (Movimento das Forças Armadas - MFA) was an organisation of lower-ranked officers in the military which was responsible for the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974, coup which ended the corporatist 'New State' in Portugal.

The MFA developed in the early 1970s as a movement of Captains (movimento dos capitães), young officers who had been involved in the Colonial War against the separatist movements in the African overseas provinces of Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Príncipe. What motivated these the 'Captains' was, essentially, a desire for the freedom until then denied to the Portuguese people and the dissatisfaction with the policies followed by the government in relation to the Colonial War.

The principal aims of the MFA were the immediate completion of the 'dirty war', which victimised innocent civilians, retreat from Africa, free elections and the abolishment of the dreaded secret police, the PIDE/DGS. The movement's objective was to, by any means, put an end to the Colonial War.

The revolution was planned by Vasco Lourenço, Vasco Gonçalves and Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho the chief strategist who directed operations. However, the officer most remembered in association with the revolution being Salgueiro Maia, who commanded the troops deployed from the School of Cavalry at Santarém.

After a failed initial attempt in March 1974 the coup took place on the morning of 25 April. Within fewer hours Lisbon was completely occupied by troops loyal to the MFA. Prime Minister Marcello Caetano handed over power to General António de Spínola.

As a consequence of 25 April 1974 the MFA mobilised the army and announced the three 'D's: Democratisation, Decolonisation and Development. The systematic demolition of the old order was inaugurated. However the process was halted by the coup of 25 November 1975.