Matilde Bettencourt CruzKing’s College |
Matilde Bettencourt Cruz is pursuing an MPhil in Modern European History at King’s College under the supervision of Dr Pedro Ramos Pinto. She previously obtained a BSc in Economics from Bocconi University and a master’s degree from Sciences Po Paris. Her MA thesis examined KGB foreign intelligence operations under diplomatic cover in Portugal, following the 1974 Carnation revolution and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the USSR.
At Cambridge, Matilde’s research focuses on the wider aspects of Soviet-Portuguese relations during the revolutionary period. Although the strengthening of ties between the two countries was looked upon with distrust by Portugal’s Western allies, genuine fears of a Soviet-backed Communist takeover proved unfounded. This research seeks to understand to what extent the Soviet Union influenced the course of events and how it viewed the perspective of a Communist Portugal.