António de Spínola

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Antónia de Spínola

President of the National Salvation Junta
Order:	1st
Term of Office	April 25, 1974 (with powers of head of state and government) - May 15, 1974 (just with powers of head of government) - May 16, 1974 (just president of the NSJ) - September 30, 1974
Predecessor:	Américo Thomaz (as head of state) Marcello Caetano (as head of government)
Successor:	Himself (as President of the Republic) Adelino da Palma Carlos (as Prime Minister) Francisco da Costa Gomes (as President of the NSJ)
President of Portugal
Order:	15th (1st since the Carnation revolution)
Term of Office	May 15, 1974 - September 30, 1974
Predecessor:	Américo Thomaz (effective) Himself (interim, as President of the NSJ)
Successor:	Francisco da Costa Gomes
Date of Birth	April 11, 1910
Place of Birth:	Estremoz
Date of Death	August 13, 1996
Place of Death:	Lisbon
Wife:	Maria Helena Monteiro de Barros
Occupation:	Military officer (Marshal)
Political Party:	Independent

António Sebastião Ribeiro de Spínola, GCTE (pron. IPA [ɐ̃'tɔniu dɨ 'spinulɐ]; April 11, 1910 - August 13, 1996) was a Portuguese soldier and politician.

Spínola entered the Colégio Militar in 1920, beginning what would be a very successful military career. By 1928 he joined Portugal's Military Academy where he stood out as a young and promising cavalry officer. Spinola served in several positions in Portugal's rebellious colonies in Africa. In 1961 Spínola was sent to Angola, and in 1968 Spinola was appointed as the governor of Portuguese Guinea and Chief of the Army Forces there. In 1973 he was invited to be the Minister of the Colonies, but he refused. A year later Spínola became vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, but was dismissed after difficulties with the government.

On April 25, 1974, the authoritarian regime in Portugal was overthrown by the Carnation Revolution in which General Spinola did not play an important role. However Prime-Minister Marcello Caetano insisted he would only surrender power to Spínola. The general negotiated the surrender and seized this opportunity to present himself as the leader of the revolution, subsequently becoming President of the Republic on May 15. As a conservative he disliked the leftist direction of the revolution and tried to avoid the independence of the colonies. He resigned on September 30, 1974, after just 4 months in power, when he realized he would not be able to block the application of the MFA program through "cabinet coups".

Spínola became involved in a right-wing coup attempt in March 11, 1975 and fled the country after its failure. Although he later oversaw the formation of a terrorist organization (ELP) directed against the left-wing Portuguese government, possibly with the intention of fighting a civil war, he was eventually rehabilitated after the November 25, 1975 coup. In 1981, Spínola was promoted to the highest rank in the Army, Field Marshal.

Preceded by Américo Thomaz (as President) Marcelo Caetano (as Prime Minister)	President of the National Salvation Junta 1974	Succeeded by Himself (as President of the Republic) Adelino da Palma Carlos (as Prime Minister) Francisco da Costa Gomes (as President of the NSJ)
Preceded by Américo Thomaz (effective) Himself (interim, as President of the NSJ)	President of Portugal 1974	Succeeded by Francisco da Costa Gomes