Cape Verde Ruling Party Slams PM Indictment as Harassment
The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) has launched a stinging defense of Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho, labeling a recent 26-count indictment against him as “permanent judicial harassment” and a calculated “judicialization of politics.”
‘Unprecedented Legal Harassment’
In a press conference held on Monday, PAICV Secretary-General Vladmir Ferreira argued that Carvalho has been unfairly targeted since 2020. Ferreira claimed that the intensity of the legal challenges faced by the Prime Minister is unmatched in the history of Cape Verdean democracy.
“We are facing a situation where politics is being fought in the courts rather than the ballot box,” Ferreira said. He linked the legal proceedings to a “coherent agenda” by the opposition Movement for Democracy (MpD), citing previous calls by MpD leadership to “stop” Carvalho at any cost.
Timing Under Fire
The PAICV suggests the timing of the indictment is no coincidence. The charges were made public just days before a scheduled parliamentary vote of confidence on Friday, which will officially launch the new government’s program. The PAICV recently regained power with an absolute majority (37 seats) following a decade of MpD rule.
“The choice of this week to make news of this nature public is no accident,” Ferreira stated, accusing the opposition of promoting institutional instability and degrading the political environment to undermine the new government before it can even begin its work.
Prime Minister Decries ‘Attempted Coup’
Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho did not mince words regarding the allegations, characterizing the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s move as an “attempted coup d’état disguised as opposition.” Despite the legal pressure, Carvalho maintained that his administration remains focused on the mandate it was elected to fulfill.
The Allegations
The controversy stems from an announcement by the Cape Verdean Attorney General’s Office (PGR) detailing 26 alleged crimes committed during Carvalho’s tenure as the Mayor of Praia between 2021 and 2025. The investigation, which also names three former councilors, includes a wide array of serious charges:
- Falsification of public documents and abuse of power
- Embezzlement and undue receipt of advantages
- Violation of budget execution and urban planning rules
- Passive corruption and qualified fraud
- Defrauding public property interests and “attempts against the Rule of Law”
The Public Prosecutor’s Office concluded its investigation on July 7 and has requested a trial before the Sotavento Court of Appeal. As Cape Verde prepares for its new parliamentary session, this legal battle threatens to overshadow the Prime Minister’s transition from city hall to the head of the national executive.
Image: Pexels – Jan van der Wolf
