23 Facts About Marcelo Caetano

Marcelo Caetano was the second and last leader of the Estado Novo after succeeding Antonio de Oliveira Salazar.

Marcelo Caetano served as prime minister from 1968 to 1974, when he was overthrown during the Carnation Revolution.

Marcelo Caetano was the son of Jose Maria de Almeida Alves Caetano and his first wife Josefa Maria das Neves.

Marcelo Caetano soon became an important figure in the Estado Novo government, and in 1940, he was appointed chief of the Portuguese Youth Organisation.

Marcelo Caetano progressed in his academic career at the university, published several works and lectured law.

Between 1944 and 1947, Marcelo Caetano was minister of the colonies, and in 1947, he became the president of the executive board of the National Union.

Marcelo Caetano served as president of the Corporative Chamber between 1949 and 1955.

Marcelo Caetano returned to his academic career and maintained formally-important political functions such as the executive president of the National Union, Caetano became the ninth rector of the University of Lisbon from 1959, but the Academic Crisis of 1962 led him to resign after protesting students clashed with riot police in the campus.

Thomaz appointed Marcelo Caetano to replace Salazar on 27 September 1968.

Many people hoped that Marcelo Caetano would soften the edges of Salazar's authoritarian regime and modernise the economy.

Marcelo Caetano moved to foster economic growth and some social improvements, such as the awarding of a monthly pension to rural workers who had never had the chance to pay social security.

Marcelo Caetano referred to his regime as a "social state" and changed the name of the official party, the National Union to the "People's National Action".

Marcelo Caetano eased press censorship and allowed the first independent labor unions since the 1920s.

Marcelo Caetano was very disappointed when the opposition was not content with the meager reforms he was able to wring out of the hardliners.

Marcelo Caetano had little choice but to acquiesce, since he had spent nearly all of his political capital to enact his reforms in the first place.

Marcelo Caetano revealed that the Portuguese Army had massacred 400 villagers in the village of Wiriyamu, near Tete, in December 1972.

Marcelo Caetano's report was printed a week before Caetano was supposed to visit Britain to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the Anglo-Portuguese alliance.

Marcelo Caetano then flew to exile to Brazil, which was ruled by its own dictatorship.

Marcelo Caetano died in Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro of a heart attack in 1980.

Marcelo Caetano's body was buried in the Sao Joao Batista Cemetery, in Botafogo.

Marcelo Caetano published several books, including several highly-rated law books and two books of memoirs in exile: Minhas Memorias de Salazar and Depoimento.

Marcelo Caetano was one of the world's greatest authorities in administrative law, and some of his works were studied even in Soviet universities.

Marcelo Caetano wrote Os nativos na economia africana in 1954.