Óscar Carmona
His Excellency Óscar Carmona ComC GCA ComSE | |
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Óscar Carmona by Henrique Medina | |
11th President of Portugal | |
In office 29 November 1926 – 18 April 1951 | |
Prime Minister |
José Vicente de Freitas Artur Ivens Ferraz Domingos Oliveira António de Oliveira Salazar |
Preceded by | Manuel Gomes da Costa |
Succeeded by | Francisco Craveiro Lopes |
96th Prime Minister of Portugal | |
In office 9 July 1926 – 18 April 1928 | |
Deputy | Abílio Passos e Sousa |
Preceded by | Manuel Gomes da Costa |
Succeeded by | José Vicente de Freitas |
Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
In office 4 September 1926 – 24 September 1926 | |
Preceded by | Bettencourt Rodrigues |
Succeeded by | Bettencourt Rodrigues |
In office 3 June 1926 – 6 July 1926 | |
Prime Minister |
José Mendes Cabeçadas Manuel Gomes da Costa |
Preceded by | Armando da Gama Ochoa |
Succeeded by | Martinho Nobre de Melo |
Minister of War | |
In office 9 July 1926 – 16 November 1926 | |
Preceded by | Manuel Gomes da Costa |
Succeeded by | Abílio Passos e Sousa |
In office 15 November 1923 – 18 December 1923 | |
Prime Minister | António Ginestal Machado |
Preceded by | António Maria da Silva |
Succeeded by | António Ribeiro de Carvalho |
Personal details | |
Born |
António Óscar Fragoso Carmona 24 November 1869 Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal |
Died |
18 April 1951 81) Lisbon, Portuguese Republic | (aged
Political party | Independent (before 1932) National Union (1932–1951) |
Spouse(s) | Maria do Carmo da Silva |
Children |
Cesaltina Amélia António Adérito Maria Inês |
Alma mater | Portuguese Military Academy |
Profession | Army officer |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Awards |
Order of Christ Order of Aviz Order of St. James of the Sword |
Military service | |
Service/branch | Portuguese Army |
Years of service | 1889–1951 |
Rank | Marshal |
Commands | Portuguese Army 4th Division (1922–1925) |
António Óscar Fragoso Carmona, ComC, GCA, ComSE, (often called António Óscar de Fragoso Carmona, Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐ̃ˈtɔniu ˈɔʃkaɾ fɾɐˈɡozu kaɾˈmonɐ]; 24 November 1869 – 18 April 1951) was the 11th President of Portugal (1926–1951), having been Minister of War in 1923.
Political origin
Carmona was a republican and a freemason and was a quick aderent to the proclamation of the republic, on 5 October 1910. He was however never a sympathizer of the democratic form of government and, as he later would confess in an interview to António Ferro, he only voted for the first time at the National Plebiscite of 1933. During the First Republic he was briefly War Minister in the Ministry of António Ginestal Machado in 1923. Unlike the popular marshal Gomes da Costa, Carmona had not fought in World War I.
In January 1914 he married Maria do Carmo Ferreira da Silva (Chaves, 28 September 1878 – 13 March 1956), daughter of Germano da Silva and wife Engrácia de Jesus. With this marriage he legitimized their three children.
Presidency
Carmona was very active in the 28th May coup d'état of 1926 that overthrew the First Republic. The first Council President, commandant José Mendes Cabeçadas, of democratic tendency, was succeeded in June by Manuel de Oliveira Gomes da Costa, also a supporter of parliamentary democracy. Carmona, who had been the Minister for Foreign Affairs between 3 June and 6 July, was the leader of the most conservative and anti-democratic wing of the military regime. On 9 July, Carmona led a countercoup and named himself President, and immediately assumed dictatorial powers. He was formally elected to the office in 1928 as the only candidate.
In 1928 Carmona appointed António de Oliveira Salazar as Minister of Finances. Impressed by Salazar's charisma and qualities Carmona nominated Salazar as Prime Minister in 1932, and largely turned over control of the government to him.
In 1933, with a new constitution, the "Estado Novo" was finally officially established. On paper, the new document codified the dictatorial powers Carmona had exercised since 1928. However, in practice he was now little more than a figurehead; Salazar held the real power. He was reelected without opposition in 1935 and 1942 for seven year terms. In 1935 he signed the law that forbade Freemasonary in Portugal, with dismay due to his Freemason past.
Although the democratic opposition was allowed to contest elections after World War II, Carmona was not on friendly terms with it. When the opposition demanded that the elections be delayed in order to give it more time to organize, Carmona turned it down.
However, there were widespread rumours that Carmona supported the failed military uprising in 1948, which was led by general José Marques Godinho, to overthrow Salazar, with the condition that he would remain as President of the Republic. Probably to end these rumours Carmona finally accepted the title of marshal.
In 1949, Carmona, aged 79 years old, sought his fourth term as president. For the first time, he actually faced an opponent in General José Norton de Matos. However, after the regime refused to grant Matos freedom to actually run a campaign, he pulled out of the race on 12 February, handing Carmona another term.
Carmona died two years later, in 1951, after 24 years in the Presidency of the Republic. He was buried in the Church of Santa Engrácia, National Pantheon, in Lisbon.
Publications
Carmona wrote a book of rules for the Cavalry School in 1913.
Trivia
The town of Uíge, Angola was called Carmona after him.[1] It had this name until 1975 when the Portuguese Overseas Province of Angola became independent.
He is the grand-uncle of the former Mayor of Lisbon Carmona Rodrigues (2004–2007).
He is also the uncle of Brazilian President Augusto Tasso Fragoso.[2]
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Óscar Carmona. |
- ↑ Angola-Carmona (Viagem ao Passado)-Kandando Angola on YouTube, a film of Carmona, Portuguese Angola (before 1975)
- ↑ Augusto Tasso Fragoso
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Manuel Gomes da Costa |
Prime Minister of Portugal 1926–1928 |
Succeeded by José Vicente de Freitas |
Preceded by Gomes da Costa |
President of Portugal 1926–1951 |
Succeeded by António de Oliveira Salazar (interim) |