António de Oliveira Salazar was a Portuguese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He was the architect of the Estado Novo, an authoritarian regime that emphasized nationalism and conservatism. Salazar's government focused on economic stability and colonial expansion, particularly in Africa. Salazar was known for his strict control over the media and political opposition, which led to a lack of democratic freedoms in Portugal. His policies aimed to maintain Portugal's colonial empire, but by the 1960s, growing unrest and decolonization movements challenged his rule, ultimately leading to his resignation in 1968.