Movimento dos Capitães de Abril Plaque

February 5th, 1974. A hush fell over the room at Rua Sargento José Paulo dos Santos, number 43. The Movimento dos Capitães de Abril, a clandestine group of military officers, gathered in secret. They discussed their political program. This program, meant for the Portuguese people, would be revealed on April 25th. The Movimento dos Capitães de Abril Plaque commemorates this pivotal meeting. It stands as a silent witness to the hushed conversations and the weighty decisions made within those walls. The plaque itself, installed in 1999 for the 25th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, depicts four military figures and a carnation. This imagery is paired with the logo of the Movimento das Forças Armadas, or MFA. The inscription on the Movimento dos Capitães de Abril Plaque reads: “AT THIS LOCATION, ON FEBRUARY 5, 1974, THE APRIL CAPTAINS MOVEMENT MET CLANDESTINELY TO DISCUSS THE POLITICAL PROGRAMME TO BE PRESENTED TO THE PORTUGUESE ON APRIL 25, 1974.” It also acknowledges the Lisbon City Council’s tribute on February 5, 1999. A white dove, a symbol of peace, is included in the design. This symbolizes the bloodless nature of the revolution from the revolutionaries’ side. The Movimento dos Capitães de Abril Plaque is a powerful reminder of the courage and planning that went into the Carnation Revolution. It’s a testament to the hope for a brighter future, born in secret meetings and blossoming into a nation’s freedom.