Estado-Maior General das Forcas Armadas /
General Staff of the Armed Forces

The president of the republic was commander in chief of the armed forces, while the senior military officer was the chief of staff of the armed forces. The president's formal powers included the right to declare war and appoint the chiefs of staff from names proposed by the government in power. The president chaired the Higher Council of National Defense, whose members were the prime minister, the minister of defense and other cabinet ministers; the chief of staff of the armed forces; the three service chiefs of staff; and the presidents of the regional governments of the Azores and Madeira.

Prior to the passage of the National Defense Law of 1982, the military controlled the passage of laws affecting the armed forces, established budgetary and procurement policies, and had the power to veto international agreements involving national defense. The 1982 law was intended to make the military subordinate to civilian political authority, functioning through the minister of defense, in defense policy matters. Successive governments were reluctant to antagonize the military establishment by depriving it of its former powers, and initially the chiefs of staff retained practical control over budgets, strategic options, and procurement matters. By the early 1990s, however, civilian authority incorporated in the 1982 law was being more rigorously applied.

The Armed Forces, under the competent sovereignty organs, are responsible for the military defence of the Republic as well as for the international commitments of the Nation in the military scope and to participate in the peace support operations and humanitarian missions decided by the international organisations to which Portugal is part.

Furthermore, the Armed Forces may be required to take part in civil protection missions, in tasks connected to the fulfilment of basic needs and to the improvement of the populations quality of life and in the framework of the national cooperation policy, they might be required to participate in technical military cooperation activities.

The Armed Forces are comprised of the following structures:

• General Staff of the Armed Forces led by the Chief of General Staff
• Portuguese Navy led by the Chief of the Navy Staff
• Portuguese Army led by the Chief of the Army Staff
• Portuguese Air Force led by the Chief of the Air Force Staff

Portugal's military dictatorship lasted until 1974, outliving even its dictator, Alberto Salazar. It created in the Portuguese a healthy distrust for uniformed police and military institutions. The Portuguese have enshrined these sentiments into laws and day-to-day politics in ways designed to fortify civilian control and ensure broad dispersion of governmental authorities. Thus, at a time when the US and other western militaries strive to increase "jointness" and interoperability of military branches and military/civilian instruments, Portugal's armed services remain zealously segregated from each other and from the MOD itself.

At the same time, in one of the perverse legacies of the 1974 transition to democracy and the end of Portugal's colonial wars, the uniformed services have a status quo culture that fills flag billets with time-servers who evaded controversy, rather than with creative thinkers promoted for performance. Wait around long enough and you will make colonel or general. This culture cultivates risk-averse thinking and a top-heavy officer corps where delaying a decision is often the best decision for all concerned. When the commanding general of Portugal's military academy was we asked if his band could play at a US-hosted reception, the two-star general replied that he would have to check with the Army Chief of Staff.

A corollary to the rule that no one makes command decisions is that anyone can obstruct them. Overcoming opposition would require an official to challenge the opposition publicly, a rarely rewarded act. This need for consensus often stymies senior Government officials.