Rede Gladio

In Portugal, the “Rede Gládio” (Gladio Network) refers to the country’s branch of this broader NATO stay-behind operation. While specific details about Portugal’s involvement are less documented compared to Italy or other nations, available evidence indicates that Portugal had a secret network aligned with Gladio’s objectives, particularly during the authoritarian regime of António de Oliveira Salazar (1932–1968) and the subsequent Estado Novo period.

Historical Context=

Portugal, under Salazar’s right-wing dictatorship, was a staunchly anti-communist state, making it a natural fit for NATO’s anti-Soviet strategies. The Portuguese secret police (PIDE) and military intelligence were likely involved in coordinating or supporting Gladio-related activities. A Lisbon radio station reported in 1990 that cells of the Gladio network were active in Portugal during the 1950s to bolster Salazar’s regime against potential internal or external communist threats.

Aginter Press

A significant aspect of Portugal’s involvement in Gladio was through Aginter Press, a Lisbon-based organization established in 1966 by the CIA under the leadership of Captain Yves Guérin-Sérac, a French officer with ties to the far-right Organisation Armée Secrète (OAS). Officially a press agency, Aginter Press was a front for a secret stay-behind army that trained operatives in covert action techniques, including bombings, assassinations, subversion, and clandestine communication. It operated as a hub for far-right militants and was implicated in terrorist activities across Europe and beyond. For example, Aginter Press has been linked to the 1969 assassination of Eduardo Mondlane, an anti-colonial leader in Mozambique.

Role in the Strategy of Tension

Like other Gladio branches, the Portuguese network was reportedly involved in efforts to prevent the rise of left-wing movements. Aginter Press, in particular, was accused of infiltrating leftist groups and orchestrating false-flag operations to destabilize political environments and justify repressive measures. In Portugal, this aligned with Salazar’s regime, which was already suppressing communist and socialist opposition through PIDE.

Secrecy and Denials

Information about Portugal’s Rede Gládio remains limited due to the secrecy surrounding the operation and the lack of comprehensive parliamentary investigations, unlike in Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland. A retired Portuguese general confirmed the existence of such a network, but official denials have persisted. For instance, former Defense Minister Alberto Oliart suggested that under Franco’s dictatorship in neighboring Spain, Gladio was effectively “the government” itself, implying a similar dynamic might have existed in Portugal under Salazar’s authoritarian rule.

Operation Gladio Connection

The Portuguese Rede Gládio was part of the broader NATO-coordinated Operation Gladio network, which operated under the Clandestine Planning Committee (CPC) and later the Allied Clandestine Committee (ACC), both overseen by NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).

Key connections

1. NATO and CIA Coordination: The Portuguese network was integrated into NATO’s stay-behind framework, with coordination from the CIA and Britain’s MI6. Training was provided by U.S. Green Berets and British SAS, and arms caches were established to support covert operations. Aginter Press, while based in Lisbon, served as a regional hub for Gladio activities, connecting Portugal to operations in other countries, including Italy and South America.

2. Far-Right Alliances: The Portuguese Gladio network, particularly through Aginter Press, collaborated with far-right groups and individuals, such as Stefano Delle Chiaie, an Italian neo-fascist linked to Gladio operations in Italy and the 1976 Montejurra massacre in Spain. These alliances extended to South America, where Gladio operatives supported Operation Condor, a campaign of political repression involving assassinations and disappearances in countries like Argentina.

3. False-Flag Operations: Similar to Gladio’s activities in Italy, where bombings like the 1972 Peteano attack were falsely attributed to leftists, Portugal’s Rede Gládio, via Aginter Press, was allegedly involved in operations to manipulate public opinion and suppress leftist movements. These actions were part of the broader “strategy of tension” to create fear and justify crackdowns on communist and socialist groups.