José Maria Neves announces presidential candidacy: Defends that Cape Verde needs a leading President with an innovative vision

Former Prime Minister José Maria Neves announced, this morning, at a press conference with live transmission at the Hotel Praia Mar, in Praia, his candidacy for the leadership of the State of Cape Verde in the elections of 17 October of this year. Neves based his run on the Plateau Palace on the grounds that the country needs a strong leader with an innovative vision, capable of uniting Cape Verdeans in the struggle to rebuild the nation in the post-pandemic period.

In his speech (see in the Register section of this newspaper), José Maria Neves explained that he chose March as the month of the tree, creation, poetry and craftsman to launch his candidacy for the Presidency of the Republic. «I announce this candidacy in March. Month of the tree, creation, poetry, spring; I announce this candidacy this March 19th, Father's and Craftsman's Day. A day that reminds us of responsibility, hard work, pride, honesty, the need to love, care and repair. The country needs an Artisan President who loves, cares, repairs and helps us to unite the parts, to make new and good choices and to write our destiny with our own hands».

In his well-known poetic style, Neves advocated that he is sure that when the drought passes, as the poet wrote, “... new sap will sprout from the hard and dry earth, enlivening dreams, enlivening desires, enlivening life”.

The candidate for the nation's highest magistrate post announced his firm will to work for a better Cape Verde. «We have big dreams for this country of ours, together we can make ourselves big, like our dreams. We can, together, write our common destiny with our own hands. I am here to tell you that I am Candidate for President of the Republic of Cape Verde, because I have the indomitable desire to build, with everyone, a better Cape Verde, much better».

Complex times and reconstruction of the country

José Maria Neves warned that Cape Verde is experiencing difficult and complex times with the Covid-19 pandemic. «We are facing unprecedented and complex times. The vaccination process has already begun and I hope that, in the horizon of 2021, we will achieve, as the Government has already announced, group immunization».

Therefore, JMN guaranteed that if he is elected head of state, he will be the first Ambassador of the Republic to mobilize the nation in the post-pandemic period. «If elected President, I will be the first Ambassador of the Republic. I will work, in close strategic cooperation with the Government, to mobilize the nation, Cape Verdeans on the islands and in the diaspora, and international public and private partnerships, to continue to fight the virus, gain immunity and secure the necessary investments to raise the country in the post-pandemic".

In view of all this, the presidential candidate announced that his priority agenda is to work for the country's reconstruction. “The reconstruction of the country will be my priority. The significant downturn of the economy, the increase in the deficit, debt, unemployment, poverty and inequalities, the bankruptcy of companies, the emotional and social losses must lead us to reinforce mutual trust between the political parties, to dialogue, sharing and the joint search for solutions», he defended.

Strong and visionary leadership

For José Maria Neves, all Cape Verdeans together are few for the greatness of the work that awaits them. «Cape Verde needs strong leadership to mobilize parties, companies, unions, churches, NGOs, civil society and citizens, on the islands and in the diaspora, with a view to rebuilding the country in the post-pandemic period. We need to mobilize all the energies of a broad and reasoned national debate, but also of a strong, visionary, strategist, inclusive and catalyst for transformational processes, capable of making a difference», he announced.

Given his experience in politics, governance and academia at the service of the Republic, Neves said that he intends to be not only a good referee – he knows the rules of the game well -, but also a driver of new political processes, opening spaces for participation to the everyone, a moral instance, a uniting trait, a provider of freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, a promoter of the country in the world and a catalyst of social dynamics oriented towards an inclusive and environmentally sustainable growth.

«We do need an innovative and disruptive perspective, to build bridges and compromises, to do things differently, to do better, to care more for people and society; we need ruptures – the country has done well everything it has done so far, but this is the time to take the leap, to seek sophistication, efficiency, excellence and effectiveness – reengineering, new consensus, new pacts ; we need to accelerate the pace towards a much better future for future generations», he challenged.

It's just that, according to Neves, Cape Verde needs a leading PR right now. «The country needs a leader, the Republic needs a President available to be the yeast of this new moment. From a President who unites, who advises, who warns, who suggests, who cares. From a President who assumes our entire history, who values the fight against subjugation, independence, freedoms, democracy and the desire for sustainable development», he reasoned.

Legislative and questions

José Maria Neves took the opportunity to salute the founding parties of representative democracy – the UCID, the PAICV and the MPD – and the parties competing in the next legislative elections on 18 April. “I hope that the April elections will be a great civic day, a moment for debating ideas and alternative projects of governance and an opportunity for citizens to freely make their political choices for the next five years”.

Responding to questions from journalists, JMN considered that there was no connection between the legislative elections and the presidencies, admitting to discussing, after April 18, support from the parties, namely with the PAICV, which was its leader. He announced that, during the campaign, he would hold an elevated debate, respecting his opponents, mainly Carlos Veiga, who has already announced his participation, for the third time, in the race to the Plateau Palace. He also promised to give special attention to the diaspora, which has an important role to play in the development process of the Global Nation that is Cape Verde. As for the situation of Justice in the country, José Maria Neves defended that, if he is elected President of the Republic, he will responsibly respect the independence of the judiciary and magistrates. He considered that citizens' questions about the functioning of justice should be analyzed in appropriate spaces and resolved with reforms to be approved and implemented by sovereign bodies. See JMN's candidacy announcement speech in the Registos space of this newspaper and images of the act below.