He studied topography and surveying in Luanda and specialized in cartography in Switzerland. He was president of the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) which he also co-founded. He supervised the August 11, 1975 coup which eventually started the civil war. The latter forced the governor, Mario Lemos Pires, to flee as well as the Portuguese contingent stationed on the nearing island of Ataúro. Consequently, Carrascalão moved to Australia and resided there throughout the Indonesian occupation. He integrated the leading agencies of the CNRT. He moved back when East Timor's independence was finally given.