PR vetoes Abraão Vicente as Ambassador to Portugal

The President of the Republic has just vetoed the appointment of the former Minister for Creative Industries, Abraão Vicente, as Cape Verde's ambassador to Portugal, in place of Eurico Monteiro, who has since joined the government.

Abraão Vicente's proposal for this diplomatic mission would have been "cooked up" even before Eurico Monteiro returned to Praia, and would, according to our sources, be the bargaining chip if Abraão Vicente's candidacy for Praia City Council did not yield positive results. It was for this reason, our sources believe, that the Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, proposed in July last year the name of Felisberto Vieira for the Cape Verdean embassy in Havana, Cuba, except that JMN, by vetoing Filú, was morally free to reject any other "political ambassador".

And Abraão Vicente, as suspected, was not going to get the best sympathy from José Maria Neves, who has just vetoed the name on the grounds that the former minister has a strong connection with active politics and is therefore "in the eye of the political hurricane".

Abraão Vicente has already reacted to the presidential veto in a post published on his facebook account: "I inform you that, at the proposal of the Head of Government, my name has been vetoed by the President of the Republic, José Maria Neves, for the appointment as Ambassador of Cape Verde to Portugal."

According to Vicente, "the 'veto' occurred because the President considers that I am 'in the eye of the political hurricane'. I take that as a compliment. Although this expression has no legal or constitutional backing, it has become a political criterion that can be used by future presidents," he began.

"I received the news with the naturalness of someone who had already informed the Prime Minister that my name would not be accepted. The President acted in a manner consistent with our shared history. Predictable and natural. Society will draw its own conclusions," he said, before adding: "I have always been a critical voice, both before entering politics and as an opposition member of parliament. I made a public declaration of support for Carlos Veiga in the 2021 presidential elections. During my mandate as Minister of the Republic, I defended clear limits on the areas in which the Presidency of the Republic could act whenever its actions impacted on the areas under my responsibility. The question is: why would the President of the Republic agree to appoint a figure with my profile to an international representative post? Just because of my competence? Certainly not. In a "city country" where divisions and a certain parochial spirit prevail at this level of the state, how could I ask for another look? A certain magnanimity. I've always been willing to pay the price for being who I am".

"On December 3, 2024, I reaffirmed to the Prime Minister, to whom, out of personal and political dignity, I never asked for any position or consideration for my candidacy for the CMP, that I would return to Parliament; "I have a mandate to fulfill."

There will be no news about my appointment to any public office or board of directors. I will be in Parliament with dignity until the end of my mandate," guarantees Abraão Vicente.