Much as with both 25 April and 28 September, the power of radio proves decisive in shaping the day. As the details of the coup attempt become known, Rádio Renascença–a station whose workers had been on strike for twenty-two days–breaks its silence and opens up its frequencies to Rádio Clube Português–and there is an immediate appeal to the population to mobilise. Colonel João Varela Gomes, through his role at the head of the 5th Division, breaks protocol and also begins calling for mass mobilisations through the radio. It’s partly due to this that by the time the paratroopers surrender to RAL1, the area outside the artillery compound is surrounded by vocal members of the population, chanting ‘The people are not with you’ and convincing the soldiers that they’re on the wrong side. And just like the last coup attempt, barricades go up on the outskirts of Lisbon, set up by civilians hoping to stop any units that might be on their way to the capital. In Tancos, Spínola realises, as late afternoon rolls around, that his knowledge of what forces he had on the ground was mistaken–his coup has failed. The general, defeated, bundles his family and numerous officers into helicopters and makes a swift escape to Spain. Other conspirators make their way to the Spanish border by car, or are otherwise detained by COPCON forces, or hand themselves in. In the latter case, Major Mensurado, commander of the paratrooper units that laid siege to RAL1, leaves his men licking their wounds after their surrender and travels to COPCON. It’s abundantly clear that the paratrooper regiments were tricked–they had been sent to RAL1 on the false information that the unit was involved in a vast conspiracy of left-wing slaughter, and did so believing the orders were being sent through the proper channels, through the chiefs of staff and even General Costa Gomes himself.
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