Legislative 2021: CNE supports PAICV's complaints and condemns Government and MpD for illegal electoral propaganda

The Secretary General of the PAICV, Julião Varela, said today, in Praia, that the Government and the Movement for Democracy (MpD) were condemned by the National Election Commission (CNE), for “ostensive” violation of the Electoral Code. At stake are mainly the fixing of posters and banners advertising the party in power and the launch of project studies, which are prohibited by the Electoral Code. The CNE has already referred some of the cases to the Public Prosecutor's Office, condemned TCV for undue disclosure of MpD/Government information and ordered the suspension of some allegedly electoral measures recently announced by the executive of Ulisses Correia e Silva.

The situation is grim with the MpD and its government violating the Electoral Law. In a press conference, Julião Varela resumed the denunciations and announced that the CNE had just upheld the complaints and claims made by his party, namely the “nominations, laying of first stones, manipulation of the press, particularly TCV and graphic advertising”. Everything that is prohibited by the Electoral Code after the general elections have been scheduled for April 18th.

According to Inforpress, the Secretary General of the largest opposition party stated that the MpD, as a Government, has been “ostensively” and “scandalously” “confronting” the laws of the Republic, namely the Electoral Code, and the authorities in charge of the administration of this process, practicing “prohibited and ethically reprehensible” acts before the election period.

“Several prohibited appointments have been made”, pointed out this official, highlighting the appointment of the Chairman of the Stock Exchange, Miguel Monteiro, who was Secretary General of the MpD and national deputy member of the Board of the National Assembly.

Regarding the laying of the first stones, he indicated the laying of lines for the construction of a reference hospital in Praia, "whose study does not even exist yet", the launching of the project for the construction of Porto Novo airport in Santo Antão, as well as the launch of the project to widen the Porto Novo wharf.

In relation to donations and sponsorships, he highlighted, offers of payment of bribes, distribution of boats and engines to fishermen "according to their political color", offers of scholarships for courses and professional training "single with discrimination of the islands", among others .

“There is a shameful usurpation of the media, particularly TCV, which has already transformed the television news into authentic antenna spaces for the Prime Minister and the MpD ministers, putting aside the plurality and respect due to the taxpayers who support the functioning of this organ”, explained Varela quoted by Inforpress.

The other violation of the Electoral Code, he pointed out, has to do with graphic advertising before the election period, stressing that he noticed electoral advertising banners in various parts of the country and distribution of jerseys.

CNE deliberations and criticisms of the electoral process

Therefore, the PAICV filed complaints with the ARC and the CNE, following which the CNE has already published some deliberations.

Among them, the CNE ordered the referral of cases involving the launch of projects at the Porto Novo airport in Santo Antão to the Attorney General's Office, condemned TCV for issuing antenna space outside the allowed time, ordered the suspension of all offers and subsidies and ordered the removal within 24 hours of all graphic advertising materials (see poster in this piece with a photo of Ulisses Correia e Silva) placed by the MpD in the country.

Meanwhile, according to documents circulated on social networks by sources close to the CNE, serious irregularities are suspected in the electoral registration and in the database of the General Directorate of Support for Electoral Porcess - DGAPE. Critical voices alert the opposition parties to request an urgent audit of the DGAPE census books and database, so that the April 18 electoral process takes place in a free, transparent manner and without the possibility of electoral fraud.