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PideThe Polcia Internacional de Defesa do Estado or PIDE (literally, International Police for State Defense), was the main tool of repression used by the Portuguese authoritarian regime, the Estado Novo. Although the name PIDE was only used from 1945 to 1969, the whole network of secret polices using during the 50 years of the Regime are commonly known as PIDE in much the same way the the Soviet Union's different secret polices are commonly referred to as "The KGB". The PVDE The origins if the PIDE trace back to 1933, year of the instauration of the Estado Novo. Under direct orders from Salazar himself, the PVDE (Polcia de Vigilncia e de Defesa do Estado, English: State Defense and Vigilance Police) was created, with 2 main sections: - Social and Political Defence section, which was used to prevent and repress crimes of political and social nature (see: Censorship)
- International Section, which was used to control the entrance of immigrants, to expel undesired immigrants and to take care of counter-espionage and/or international espionage
In 1936, the Prison of Tarrafal was created in the Portuguese colony of Cape Verde. This prison, under direct control of the PVDE, was the destiny of those political prisoners considered dangerous by the regime. Throughout the almost 50 years of the Estado Novo, 32 people lost their lives in the Tarrafal, which was known for its severe methods of torture. Also in 1936 with the beginning of the Spanish Civil War and in 1937 with the attempt against Salazar's life, the PVDE started focusing in its battle against Communism and the underground Portuguese Communist Party. During this pre-World War II period, several Italian and German advisors came to Portugal, to help the PVDE to adopt a model similar to the Gestapo. During World War II, the PVDE knew its most intense period of activity. Lisbon was the European centre of espionage and one of the favourite exile destinies. Writers such as Ian Fleming (the creator of James Bond) and other famous personalities such as the Duke of Windsor or the Spanish Royal Family were exiled in Lisbon. German spies attempted to buy information on trans-Atlantic shipping to help their submarines fight the Battle of the Atlantic. The Spaniard Juan Pujol Garcia, better known as Codename Garbo, passed on misinformation to the Germans, hoping it would hasten the end of the Franco regime - he was recruited by Britain as a double agent while in Lisbon. Conversely, William Colepaugh, an American traitor, was recruited as an agent by the Germans while his ship was in port in Lisbon - he was subsequently landed by U-boat U-1230 in Maine before being captured. In June 1943, a commercial airliner carrying the actor Leslie Howard was shot down over the Bay of Biscay by the Luftwaffe after taking off from Lisbon, possibly because German spies in Lisbon believed that Prime Minister Winston Churchill was on board. Several American reports called Lisbon "The Capital of Espionage". However, the PVDE always maintained a neutral stance towards foreign espionage activity, as long as no one intervened in the Portuguese internal policies. The PIDE In 1945, the PVDE was dissolved and replaced by the PIDE. Unlike the PVDE, which sought inspiration in the Gestapo, the PIDE followed the Scotland Yard model. As a section of the Policia Judiciria (Investigation Police), the PIDE had full powers to investigate, detain and arrest anyone who was thought to plot against the State. The PIDE had two main functions: - Administrative functions (which included functions related to the migration services)
To many authors, the PIDE is considered as being one of the most functional and effective secret services in history. Using a wide network of covert cells, which were spread throughout Portugal and its overseas territories, the PIDE had infiltrated agents in almost every underground movement, such as the Portuguese Communist Party or other Independentist Movements acting in Angola or Mozambique. The PIDE encouraged citizens to denounce suspicious activities, through monetary and prestige prizes. This resulted in an extremely effective espionage service which was able to fully control almost every aspect of the Portuguese daily life. Thousands of Portuguese were arrested and tortured in the PIDE prisons. The PIDE intensified its actions during the Portuguese Colonial War. The DGS In 1969, Marcello Caetano renamed the PIDE to DGS (Direco Geral de Segurana). The death of Salazar and the ascension of Caetano brought some attempts of democratization, in order to avoid popular insurgences against the censorship. This resulted in a decrease of the violence used by the PIDE and a consequent reduction of effectiveness.
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