Marcello Caetano

Caetano, Marcello 

Born Aug. 17, 1906, in Lisbon. Portuguese state figure. Son of a schoolteacher.

After graduating from the law faculty of the University of Lisbon in 1927, Caetano entered the Ministry of Finance, where he became a close associate of A. Salazar. He began to teach law at the University of Lisbon in 1933. Caetano was national commissar of the Union of Portuguese Youth from 1940 to 1944 and director and dean of the department of political economy and industrial production of the Higher Technical Institute from 1942 to 1944. He was minister of colonies from 1944 to 1947, becoming chairman of the executive committee of the National Union Party in 1947. Caetano was president of the Corporative Chamber of parliament from 1950 to 1955; in 1952 he was named lifetime member of the State Council. He was minister without portfolio subordinate to the premier from 1955 to 1958and rector of the University of Lisbon from 1952 to 1967. As successor to the fascist dictator Salazar, Caetano assumed thepost of chairman of the Council of Ministers of Portugal in 1968.On Apr. 25, 1974, Caetano was removed from this post andarrested during the antifascist coup d’etat. In May 1974 he wasexiled to Brazil. [11-1670-1; updated]