During the political tensions of the "Hot Summer" in 1975, during which the country was on the brink of civil war, culminating with the attempted Communist coup of 25 November, Ana Gomes was on the side of the democratic forces, supporting General Ramalho Eanes and the Socialist Party against the Portuguese Communist Party. Shortly after, however, in January 1976, disillusioned with the party's disbelief in the Portuguese transition to democracy, she abandoned MRPP and active politics. She returned to work as a secretary for an import/export company and resumed her law degree after working hours, finally completing it in 1979. She was working as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Law and training to become a lawyer under Manuel Figueira, a specialist in public international law and maritime law, when she was challenged by friends João Ramos Pinto and José de Freitas Ferraz to apply for the diplomatic service. She came out on top of all applicants in the concours to gain access to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.