Legião Portuguesa (Estado Novo)
Legião Portuguesa | |
| Abbreviation | LP |
|---|---|
| Formation | 30 September 1936 |
| Dissolved | 25 April 1974 |
| Type | Paramilitary |
| Legal status | Dissolved by law |
| Purpose | "Fostering the moral resistance of the Nation and cooperating in its defense". |
| Headquarters | Lisbon |
Region served | Portugal |
Parent organization | Ministry of the Interior, War Ministry |
| Volunteers | 80,000 when dissolved |
The Portuguese Legion (Portuguese: Legião Portuguesa) was a Portuguese paramilitary state organization founded in 1936 during the Portuguese President of the council's António de Oliveira Salazar's right-wing dictatorship, the Estado Novo. It was dissolved by law on April 25, 1974.
Its stated objectives were to "defend the spiritual heritage [of Portugal]" and to "fight the communist threat and anarchism".
The Portuguese Legion was under the control of the Ministry of the Interior and War, and was responsible for coordinating civil defense in Portuguese territory, including in the Portuguese Empire. It was deeply involved in multiple collaborations with PIDE, the political police. They used the Roman salute and also used to shout the name of Salazar in their parades.