Altino Pinto de Magalhães

Altino Pinto de Magalhães (Ribalonga, Carrazeda de Ansiães; 8 May 1922) was an Army Officer in the Portuguese Armed Forces, Military Governor and official in the Ministry of the Army, as well as the President of the Junta Regional of the Azores. General in the Portuguese Armed Forces, who, while having a conservative style, supported the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974.

Career
During his time at the Army Academy, Altino studied Infantry, Transmission and Information, the general and complimentary courses in Officers training, as well as taking an aviation course to provide tourist services.

He was promoted to ensign in March 1943 while in Lamego, and served with the 9th Regimental Infantry in São Miguel and Terceira. He served in Portuguese Angola between 1946 and 1948, where he was promoted to lieutenant before serving in Braga. Before returning to Angola, where he served between 1949 and 1953, he was made promoted to Captain in December 1948. He served in the Ministry of the Army between 1953 and 1961, becoming a Major by December 1957 and later Lieutenant-Colonel by May 1961, before being transferred to Madeira (Funchal). He returned to the Ministry between 1963 and 1969, being invested as Colonel in 1968. He joined the Quartel General da Região Militar (Military Regional General Garrison) in Angola in 1969-71, serving in the Estado Maior do Exército (Army Staff) and regional command, advancing to the position of Brigadier by August 1973.

Presidency of the Azores
He was nominated to the position of Military Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the Azores on 6 January 1975, a function that he served until 29 August 1976 (not before being promoted to General in February 1976), when he became the President of the Junta Regional dos Açores (from 26 August 1975 to 29 August 1976). He arrived in Ponta Delgada during a period of heightened tensions after the Revolution, during a political crisis and ideological conflict between anti-communists and separatists. On 6 June 1975 a protest in Ponta Delgada was held, in direct countervention to the prohibition of organized gatherings, which quickly degenerated into a separatist manifestation. The military tried to block protesters from protesting at the palace of the Civil Governor, António Borges Coutinho, that took a significant left-leaning tone. Magalhães met with Coutinho, but in the middle of this confusion, the Civil Governor resigned, which provoked a wave of cheers from the protesters and cries for the independence of the Azores. What followed were negotiations between the commander-in-chief and a group of protesters. When these protesters calmed-down, orders were sent to arrest some of the personalities considered responsible for the subversive acts related to the manifestation. These prisoners were deported to Terceira.

As a sequence of these events, a Junta Governativa Regional (Governing Regional Junta) was established under decree-law 458/B/75 on 22 August 1975, presided by the military Commandant and council that included representatives of the political parties (PSD, PS and CDS), that operated as a provisory government of the Azores, until the Constitution established the Regional Government of the Azores.

Later life
During his career he held the highest level roles in his military postings, attaining many of the functions in the military hierarchy. Similarly, he exercise civilian functions: District Governor of Uige (1972–74); Representative of the Governing Junta in Angola (1974) and as President of the Regional Junta of the Azores (1975–76). Between 1976 and 1979 he served in the Army's Planning Directorate, and later the Armed Forces Planning Directorate (1979–1984), attaining the post of four-star General by July 1979.

He was the President of the Central Committee of the Combatants League (Presidente da Direcção Central da Liga dos Combatentes) between 1986 and 1996. His military career included fifteen command-level accreditation, as well as in Governing and Ministerial postings. In addition, he received eight national medallions, in addition to commendations and honours from Brazil (six), France (one) and Yugoslavia (one). His national honors included three (silver and gold) Service Distinctions with Palm and a Grand Cross in the Military Order.

He was the President of the Executive Commission established to by the National Association of Overseas Combatants (Associação Nacional dos Combatentes do Ultramar) to guide the building of national monument to overseas troops.

In 1985 he became a candidate for the Presidency of Portugal.