Dear Durania - I have been far more absent than I would wish, and only on account of a work I have been writing since the second week of December (I'm at the concluding stage, finally). I hope and pray all are well, as well as our wonderful Duran hosts Alexander and Alex @alexmercouris @TheDuran_Social @theduran . I shall try getting caught up with our lovely community, and the news.

Since today is our special day, in Portugal (how fitting, it is, that I am liberated from my work to come back here, the most revered of our four national holidays "Freedom Day" - our 25 de Abril. The country's age causes us to have the four, but in truth this one is the highest, followed by the other three that seem a tie for that very close second spot - June 10 the Day of Camões - October 5 The Day of The Republic's Proclamation - December 1 The Day of The Restoration [of the crown-head], the Crown & Monarchy never having been joined to pre-Spain's Castile, but the crown-head was one for both during those 60 years, where Philip 1 of Portugal corresponded to Philip II of Spain, and in similar fashion the nest two monarchs. I dislike Wikipedia, but it is a quick source for a little further reading. I leave at the end of this post a link to the Portuguese version that is much more informative though certain things are missing there as well.).

I digressed, in the above brackets - LOL. Sorry, I am so incorrigible.

April 25, on such a day for those that speak Portuguese, not just in Portugal but significant elsewhere I have been told, since our Freedom Day (a Day in Italy so revered as a day for the fall of Fascism, in Italy decades before 1974, as I learned some years ago) - not just here as I was saying, but also Brazil to a certain extent as far as I know. Over the years it has been mentioned by such a vast number of Brazilians as it gave them courage for the ending of their brutal dictatorship (1964 - 85).

Anyhow, in hopes of making up for some of my absenteeism, I leave an article sent to me, published today in one site - regarding very impactful news (I don't think it's just the great symbolism of the event) - the first time someone from the Dictatorship (Military Junta, similar to the one in Greece 1967-74) has been sentenced to serve time in prison. The first of that old dictatorship to be so pronounced - an Ex-President, Collor de Mello. (took so long after the end of the dictatorship. I still remember so well when the first president of Brazil after the end of its dictatorship, was elected, my goodness - back in 85)

I shall leave links: one to the article I recieved, in Educação Politica" a Wordpress that I follow, and the also the original report it contains that is more informative. I will then further leave a translation to that article in a comment to this post.

WIshing all a Happy 25 de ABril (our Liberation Day)

Link : https://glaucocortez.wordpress.com/2025/04/25/fernando-collor-e-o-primeiro-ex-presidente-de-origem-coronelista-condenado-e-preso/

Link : https://cartacampinas.com.br/2025/04/prisao-do-ex-presidente-fernando-collor-abre-as-portas-para-a-prisao-de-bolsonaro/

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Link (as promised, with the Wikipedia article, mentioned above, regarding the 60 year period between 1580 and 1640): https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebasti%C3%A3o_I_de_Portugal#Motivos_da_Interven%C3%A7%C3%A3o_em_Marrocos
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WIshing all a wonderful day and weekend.
Take Care 💝