1.
GV: Village of Santa Comba Dao, Portugal, where Salazar was born and buried.
0.05

2.
GV TILT DOWN: Village church ZOOM IN TO picture on churchwall of house where Salazar was born.
0.16

3.
GV: Salazar's birthplace.
0.19

4.
GV: Ruins of the Salazar statue in the village centre. (2 SHOTS)
0.32

5.
GV: Church with people leaving after Mass. (2 SHOTS)
0.48

6.
SV ZOOM IN: Salazar's grave in village cemetery. (2 SHOTS)
1.00

7.
SV: Family at tomb.
1.10

8.
CU: Tomb.
1.15

9.
SV: Family leaving cemetery.
1.25



Initials JS/1730



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In Portugal, the anniversary of the birth of one of the country's former leaders, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, passed without incident. There had been fears that there would be a repeat of last year's rioting in his home village, when one woman was shot dead.

SYNOPSIS: Salazar was born in this town, Santa Comba Dao, in northern Portugal, on April the 28th, 1889. For 36 years from 1932 he was premier and virtual dictator of the country. When he died in 1970 at the age of 81, he was brought back here to be buried. His statue in the village centre. It was destroyed by a bomb last February, and now the locals call the ruin the "Rock of Remembrance".

This year there were rumours that followers of Salazar would try to put up a new statue, to coincide with the anniversary of his birth 89 years ago. But these proved unfounded, and the village remained quiet.

Last year demonstrations in Santa Comba Dao over the anniversary led to rioting, and one woman die when the National Guard opened fire on demonstrators in the village.

While the family of the former leader held religious ceremonies at his burial place in the village cemetery there were growing reports of the resurgence of Portugal's right wing political parties...one of them the Salazar youth movement.

It's four years since the right-wing dictatorship was overthrown by the armed forces here. Now, some observers consider the right is gaining ground again.