In order to support his colonial policies, António de Oliveira Salazar adopted Freyre's notion of Lusotropicalism, maintaining that since Portugal had been a multicultural, multiracial and pluricontinental nation since the 15th century, if the country were to be dismembered by losing its overseas territories, that would spell the end for Portuguese independence.[1] In geopolitical terms, no critical mass would then be available to guarantee self-sufficiency to the Portuguese State.