Cape Verde Intelligence Shake-up Faces Legal Challenge
Cape Verde’s political landscape is facing a legal showdown as the main opposition party, the Movement for Democracy (MpD), announced it will take the government to court over a controversial change to the nation’s intelligence oversight.
A Threat to Democratic Balance
In a statement released Thursday, the MpD labeled the government’s decision to hand control of the Republic’s Intelligence Service (SIR) to the Minister of Internal Administration as “illegal and unconstitutional.” The party warns that the move has “pernicious effects” on the country’s democratic system.
The controversy stems from Decree No. 15/2026, published on August 18. The decree, issued by Prime Minister Francisco Carvalho, delegates his authority over the SIR—including the coordination and guidance of all intelligence actions—to Carlos Miguel Sena Castro Teixeira, the Minister of Internal Administration.
Legal and Constitutional Challenges
The MpD argues that the government is overstepping its bounds. Under Law No. 70/VI/2005, the SIR is mandated to be under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister. The opposition maintains that this specific regime, established by the National Assembly, cannot be overridden by a secondary decree-law.
“The SIR’s operational model is the result of a hard-won political consensus,” the MpD stated. “It was designed to ensure democratic control over a service that manages state security and potentially sensitive data regarding citizens’ rights.”
Warnings of a ‘Dangerous Proximity’
Beyond the legal technicalities, the MpD expressed deep concern over the concentration of power. By placing the intelligence service under the same ministry that manages internal security and the criminal police, the party warns of a breakdown in the necessary separation between intelligence gathering and law enforcement.
“Assigning direct leadership of the intelligence service to the minister who holds the internal affairs portfolio creates a dangerous proximity,” the party warned, citing a “high-risk intimacy” that could compromise the rule of law.
Next Steps in Court
The MpD has vowed to utilize every legal avenue to block the change. This includes challenging the constitutionality of the legal norms cited in the government’s decree and filing administrative appeals with the relevant authorities.
Despite the mounting legal opposition, the government’s decree stipulates that the transfer of powers took effect immediately, leaving the country’s intelligence apparatus in a state of political and legal flux.
Image: Pexels – damien Saillet
