Who Will Be the Winners and Losers?
A Glimpse of Cape Verde’s 2008 Mayoral Elections

By Miguel Vieira FORCV Columnist

A dynamic political drama is undergoing in Cape Verde for the posts of 'Presidentes de Câmaras'. A 'Presidente de Câmara' is the rough equivalent of an American City Mayor. However, in Cape Verde’s system, the Mayor has county-wide mandate like a chairman of the board of a U.S. county. In the coming May 21st election, a former Prime-Minister, a high level establishment insider, and a former ambassador will attempt to replace charismatic incumbents in several county chairmanship elections. The following are the key counties and candidates at hand.

Brava: Camilo Gonçalves is going for his third term. He will flex his political muscles and wide ranging apparatus to the max to get five more years as chief of Brava’s county hall. Camilo’s opponent, David Lima Gomes, supported by the main opposition party, the Movement for Democracy (MPD) will likewise use any and all means to gain power in the wild Island (the literal translation of brava), including the influence and money of tens of thousands of Brava natives who live in the U.S.

In the sole volcano island, Fogo, the charismatic Mayor of São Filipe, Eugenio Lima, supported by the ruling party, the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), is running for a fourth term. Luís Pires, former President of São Filipe City Council and a PAICV dissident will try to send him to forced retirement, as will Jorge Nogueira, an MPD supported candidate. However, the city of São Filipe is considered to be a bastion of PAICV supporters; therefore, the odds favor Veiga. Nevertheless, Nogueira says that “Mr. Veiga will not do to the perpetually in need of better services city of São Filipe, what he couldn’t do in the last sixteen years that he’s been Mayor”. He promises an upset.

Still in Fogo, another vibrant election battle is in place in Mosteiros, the second most important county. In a recent article Nilton ou Fernandinho: Qual a Melhor Opção para os Mosteiros? (link:

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FORCV columnist Agnelo Montrond sums up this race with a simple statement: “The issue at hand is whether the people of Mosteiros want ‘continuidade’ (continuity), or “mudança” (change)”. Fernandinho Teixera, the PAICV supported incumbent represents continuity or staying the course. Nilton Rodrigues, the challenger, represents the change that the people of Mosteiro will have to validate or reject. In Mosteiros, Rodrigues’ campaign staff note, “members of the political establishment have on average less than 9 years of formal education” – quite a contrast with Nilton, a U.S. University graduate.

On the island of Sal, Jorge Figueiredo (independent) hopes to get re-elected to a second term as the defacto Governor of the tourist-haven island. Mr. Figueiredo assures the people of Sal that with a second mandate he’ll be able to continue the progress he’s achieved and take Sal to a still higher level. Jorge Spencer Lima (Scapa), Figueiredo’s PAICV backed opponent and former Minister of Transportation, has similar plans but will do “a lot better”, he says. “If elected as chairman of the county board of Sal”, Scapa states, “Sal will become the pride of Cape Verde”.

The Battle of the Tavares

In the Santa Catarina County, Santiago Island, the current Mayor, Joao B. Freire, is running as an independent. In two prior elections, Mr. Freire had run as a PAICV backed candidate. However this time, he’s been effectively dismissed in favor of Alcides Tavares. Alcides has an impressive life story. Born and raised in harsh poverty in a Santa Catarina rural hamlet named Engenhos, Alcides grew up to graduate from the prestigious University of Coimbra in Portugal, and was twice elected in the 1990’s as Mayor of Paul, in the island of São Antão. Alcides Tavares’ opponent, MPD backed Francisco, interestingly shares his last name, Tavares. Until recently, Francisco Tavares was the President of the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Supporters of Francisco say he is an exceptionally able individual who will take the county of ‘Santa Catarina’ to a better level. ‘Santa Catarinenses’ will decide which Tavares will lead the second most important county in the country, the tested politician or the talented technocrat.

In the nation’s capital, Praia, it’s round two for Felisberto Vieira, the PAICV insider and Ulisses Correia e Silva, a high rank MPD official. The two candidates had faced each other in the last mayoral election. “The margin of votes was minimal,” Correia recently reminded pundits and members of media who predict he’s bound to lose again. “This time” Mr. Correia says, “the dynamics have changed in my favor”. For instance, Viera’s administration has been plagued with several accusations of corruption in the last 3 months, some of then with strong evidence of misconduct. These allegations have put the incumbent in serious jeopardy as a poll done by Jornal de Cabo Verde last month showed that 40% of the electorate in Praia believes that there is corruption in his administration. Mr. Vieira, however, who’s going for his third term, isn’t showing any sign of an imminent defeat. He confidently predicts another five year mandate. Time will tell if the constituents of Praia will choose the seasoned incumbent or the promising challenger.

Finally, in the beautiful cosmopolitan city of Mindelo, in São Vicente island, former three-term Mayor and Ex-Ambassador to Portugal, Onésimo Silveira (PAICV) and Gualberto Rosario (independent), Prime Minister in the 1990’s, will attempt to dethrone the flamboyant MPD supported Isaura Ramos, affectionately called Zau. But that’s unlikely. “Com maioria absoluta” (absolute majority), by a landslide, Zau predicts she will be re-elected as Mayor of Mindelo.