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U.Porto Memory

University of Porto Famous Alumni

Francisco da Costa Gomes

Francisco da Costa Gomes 1914-2001 Mathematician, military officer and politician

Francisco da Costa Gomes was born in Chaves on 30th June 1914 and died on 31st July 2001. He was born of António José Gomes and Idalina Júlia Moreira da Costa, and his childhood was marked by his father's death when he was about to complete his 8th birthday.
Due to his family's lack of economic resources, he was led into the Military Preparatory School once he accomplished primary school, in 1925, at the age of 10. In 1931 he entered the Military School, joining the armoured corps, and was promoted to "Alferes" (a Private) in 1935. He was included in the armoured corps "Regimento de Cavalaria nº 3", in Estremoz, in 1936, and two years later he was transferred to the Battalion no. 4 of the police "Guarda Nacional Republicana", in Porto. In 1939 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
In 1944, the same year he accomplished his degree in Mathematical Sciences with mention at the University of Porto, he was promoted to the rank of captain. He worked as Assistant Chief and Chief of Defence Staff of the Province of Macao from 1949 to 1951, and was placed in the Army Chief of Staff to study possibilities of mobilization of the forces allocated to NATO.

In 1952 he married Maria Estela Veloso de Antas Varejão, of whom he had a child. He was promoted to the rank of Major, and taught at the São João de Deus school. The following year, he was made responsible for the instruction of the Portuguese troops designated to integrate NATO. He worked at the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, in Norfolk, United States; ultimately, he gained an extensive knowledge of NATO issues. He participated in several conferences of the organisation, and ultimately was allocated the coordination of the plans of use of atomic energy.

In 1965 he was named Deputy Commander of the Military Region of Mozambique and, in 1968, was promoted to the rank of General. In 1972, he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CEMGFA) and in 1974 he was dismissed from this job, together with António de Spínola. That same year, on 30th April, he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff again and, on 30th September, General Spínola quit his job as President of the Republic, and upon the suggestion of the Junta de Salvação Nacional, he took on the Presidency. He was the first Portuguese Head of State who delivered a speech at the General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation.

On 25th November 1975, Costa Gomes played a vital role during the military movements: he called Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho to the President's official residence, in Belém, and placed all the military units in Lisbon under his direct command; at the same time, he contacted the Secretary General of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), and asked them not to take an active part in these activities.

After General Ramalho Eanes took on his role as President of the Republic, Costa Gomes decided to withdraw from political activities. However, Costa Gomes remained very active, and participated in the World Peace Council, of which he was President. He also took part in the Group of General and Admirals for Peace and Disarmament, in 1981, and participated in the Peace Movement Conference, in Athens, in 1984. His action was recognised by the United Nations Secretary-General, who awarded him the Peace Messenger prize in 1986.
(Text by Cátia Manuela Silva Gonçalves, 2008)