Marcelo Caetano - Overthrow, Exile and Death

Overthrow, Exile and Death

By the beginning of 1974, signals of rebellion increased. The Armed Forces Movement was formed within the army and started planning a coup d'état to end the Estado Novo. In March, an unsuccessful attempt against the regime was made. By that time, Caetano had offered his resignation to the President more than once, but it was denied. There was now little attempt or political possibility to control the opposition's movements. On 25 April 1974 the military overthrew the regime in the Carnation Revolution. There was almost no resistance.

Caetano resigned and was flown under custody to the Madeira Islands where he stayed for a few days. He then flew to exile in Brazil, where he died in Rio de Janeiro of a heart attack in 1980.

According to the film April Captains (Capitães de Abril), Caetano, prior to boarding the plane that would take him to exile, thanked his captors for treating him well and wished them the best of luck with the country. In the film, he character of Caetano is played by the actor Ricardo Pais.