International

The world needs a new Carnation Revolution, defends one of its architects

The world needs a new Carnation Revolution in response to the inequalities that exist in society, said Portuguese Colonel Vasco Lourenço, one of the soldiers who led the uprising that meant the arrival of democracy in Portugal, which next Thursday will be 50 years old.

Lourenço was one of the main responsible for the military conspiracy behind the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974 and, although he is proud to have helped make Portuguese society fairer, he considered, in an interview with EFE, that part of that conquest has been lost.

“We had the ambition of a fairer society. And after April 25, in the following years, that was a fact. Portuguese society was much fairer, much less unequal. Unfortunately, in recent years, inequalities have been growing,” said the soldier.

The problem is global and can trigger a new revolt: “There will have to be a new Carnation Revolution. It is not possible for society in the world to be so unequal.”

Lourenço was the operational responsible for the uprising that brought down the dictatorship of António de Oliveira Salazar and returned power to the citizenry, although he had to live that day from the Azores archipelago because the regime moved him there the previous month.

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Half a century later, at the age of 83, he presides over the 25 de Abril Association, the entity that brings together the military who participated in a revolution that influenced the creation of many democratic states in the world, including neighboring Spain, which began its transition after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.

“The peaceful transition in Spain was only possible in the way it was done because there was April 25 in Portugal,” said the retired colonel.

But democratization did not stay in Spain and reached other corners of the globe, such as Greece – after Portugal demonstrated that “the military did not have to do only ‘pinochetadas” -, Brazil and other Latin American countries, Lourenço listed.

And it went further: the independence of the Portuguese colonies in Africa “made the fight against apartheid much easier” in South Africa.

In Portugal and Spain, despite being so close, the paths to reach democracy were very different and this former official considers that in the neighboring country there are still “wounds to heal” from the past.

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“In Spain, the civil war caused very conflicting situations. And then the cure of that war was not made (…) Here in Portugal, despite the fact that there was no violence, there was a military rupture that allowed to cure what had happened,” reasoned the colonel, who recalled that the Franco dictatorship was “much more violent.”

With the Carnation Revolution, “the wounds of the time of fascism were healed.” Half a century later, the country has joined the European boom of the far right.

The radical Chega party has 50 of the 230 deputies of the Parliament, the largest number of seats in the hands of the extreme right since the end of the Portuguese dictatorship.

“Chega has risen precisely because the democratic forces have shot themselves in the foot,” defended Lourenço, who regretted that “a large part of the politicians,” when they govern, prefers to serve their own interests than those of the people.

These behaviors “create fields for opportunists, so that populists make promises that they will not keep” and give wings to the far right, he said.

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Even so, Lourenço is “optimistic” and trusts that the “spirit of April” is still alive in Portugal.

That spirit was the one that led in 1974 a group of soldiers to overthrow a dictatorial regime implanted 48 years ago and later return power to the citizenry.

The coup was fast and effective and in less than 24 hours the dictatorship had fallen: “It was the best organized and best executed operation that the Armed Forces have done throughout their history in Portugal,” the colonel reflected.

Asked whether the Portugal he imagined 50 years ago resembled today’s, Lourenço replied cautiously: “Yes and no.”
Conquests that they dreamed of such as integration into the international community, peace or democracy, despite their flaws – “I prefer a bad and imperfect democracy to a ‘good’ dictatorship” – have been maintained to this day.

Social justice continues to be the ‘thorn’: “Poverty has increased. In that sense, I would like it to be better, but we are incredibly better,” he said.

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International

Brazil offers to mediate Colombia-Ecuador tensions, calls for restraint

The government of Brazil has offered to mediate in the ongoing tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, while calling on both nations to exercise restraint.

In a statement released Wednesday, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties involved to act with moderation and seek a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“Brazil encourages all sides to act with moderation in order to find a peaceful solution to the controversy. It stands ready to support dialogue efforts aimed at preserving peace and security in the region,” the statement said.

Brazil also expressed “serious concern” over reports of deaths in the border area between Colombia and Ecuador, noting that the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not yet been clarified.

The diplomatic move comes amid rising tensions between the neighboring countries, increasing regional concern over stability and security along their shared border.

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International

U.S. lowers travel advisory for much of Venezuela but keeps high-risk zones under warning

The U.S. Department of State announced on Thursday that it has lowered its travel advisory for much of Venezuela to Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), reflecting what it described as improved security conditions in parts of the country.

However, the agency will maintain the highest Level 4 warning (“Do Not Travel”) for several regions, including the states of Táchira, Amazonas, Apure, Aragua and Guárico, as well as rural areas of Bolívar, citing ongoing risks such as crime, kidnapping and terrorism.

The updated advisory marks a shift from December, when the United States raised the alert for Venezuela to Level 4 nationwide, warning of severe security threats.

Despite the partial downgrade, U.S. authorities continue to urge caution, emphasizing that conditions remain volatile in certain areas and that travelers should carefully assess risks before planning any trips to the country.

International

EU lawmakers move to ban AI tools that generate non-consensual nude images

Members of the European Parliament are pushing to ban across the bloc artificial intelligence services that allow users to digitally “undress” people without their consent.

The proposal, adopted on Wednesday at committee level, aims to prohibit applications that generate non-consensual explicit images. Irish lawmaker Michael McNamara, one of the sponsors, said the measure seeks to stop tools that “have caused significant harm for the benefit of a few.”

Dutch MEP Kim van Sparrentak welcomed the move, calling it “a major victory, especially for women and children in Europe.”

The amendment, part of broader EU legislation on artificial intelligence, was approved by the Parliament’s civil liberties and internal market committees. It specifically targets systems that use AI to create or manipulate sexually explicit or intimate images resembling identifiable individuals without their consent.

The proposal will be put to a full vote in the European Parliament on March 26. If adopted, lawmakers and European Union member states will need to agree on a final version before it can take effect.

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Separately, representatives of the 27 EU countries recently backed a Franco-Spanish amendment seeking to ban AI services used to generate non-consensual sexual images or child sexual abuse material.

The initiative follows controversy surrounding a feature introduced in Grok, developed by xAI, which allowed users to create simulated nude images from real photos. The tool sparked widespread criticism and prompted an EU investigation.

In response, xAI restricted image generation features in mid-January to paying subscribers and stated it blocks the creation of sexualized images in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.