Cabo Verde, an island nation off West Africa, has had presidents since 1975 when the office was first created. Aristides Pereira was the country’s first president, and the current president, José Maria Neves, has been in office since November 9, 2021.
According to the Constitution, a president can only serve two terms. This term limit was first applied to President Antonio Monteiro in 2001.
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List Of Cabo Verde Presidents From 1975 Till Date
No. | Name | Term of Office | Time in Office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aristides Pereira | 8 July 1975 – 22 March 1991 | 15 years, 257 days | PAIGC (until 1981), PAICV (from 1981) |
2 | António Mascarenhas Monteiro | 22 March 1991 – 22 March 2001 | 10 years | MpD |
3 | Pedro Pires | 22 March 2001 – 9 September 2011 | 10 years, 171 days | PAICV |
4 | Jorge Carlos Fonseca | 9 September 2011 – 9 November 2021 | 10 years, 61 days | MpD |
5 | José Maria Neves | 9 November 2021 – Incumbent | 3 years, 64 days | PAICV |
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Who Was The First President Of Cabo Verde?
Aristides Pereira, born on November 17, 1923, was the first President of Cabo Verde. Pereira became president on July 5, 1975, the same day Cabo Verde gained independence from Portugal, serving as president until March 22, 1991, playing an important role in shaping the new nation during its early years.
Pereira had his basic education in Cabo Verde, and later, he trained as a radio and telegraph technician, which allowed him to work for the Portuguese colonial administration.
His job eventually took him to Guinea-Bissau, where he met Amílcar Cabral, a leader in the anti-colonial movement. This friendship influenced Pereira’s decision to join the fight for independence.
In the 1940s, Pereira joined the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). He organized strikes and gathered support for the cause. By 1973, he became the General Secretary of PAIGC.
After independence, Pereira continued as leader and transitioned to the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV) in 1981, when PAIGC split.
During his presidency, Pereira built a democratic socialist state. He improved the economy, which faced challenges like droughts and unemployment, and sought international aid.
His government supported social programs to help citizens and maintained a better human rights record than many other African nations.
In 1990, he introduced political reforms, allowing multiparty elections, which led to his defeat in 1991 by António Mascarenhas Monteiro.
After retiring from politics, Pereira continued to be a respected figure. He passed away on September 22, 2011, and he was renamed Rabil Airport in his honor.
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Who Is The Current President Of Cape Verde?
José Maria Pereira Neves is the current President of Cape Verde, a position he has held since November 9, 2021. Neves once served as the Prime Minister of Cape Verde from 2001 to 2016, and he is a prominent member of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).
However, when he was young, he became interested in politics and was active in a nationalist youth organization during Cape Verde’s transition to independence from Portuguese rule in 1975. He later studied at the São Paulo School of Business Administration in Brazil.
After returning to Cape Verde in the 1980s, from 1987 to 1989, he coordinated the Project for Administrative Reform and Modernization and later directed the National Training Centre for Public Administration.
In 1989, he officially joined the PAICV party and began his political journey. Though he lost a leadership contest in 1997, Neves eventually became the President of the Santa Catarina Town Council and later rose to national leadership.
When he was the Prime Minister, Neves built Cape Verde’s economy and strengthened international partnerships. He established ties with China and signed agreements with the European Union.
Tourism, a key part of Cape Verde’s economy, grew during his tenure. Neves won the presidency in 2021 with about 51.7% of the vote, ending the decade-long leadership of the Movement for Democracy (MpD) party.
Since becoming president, he has been striving to recover Cape Verde’s economy after the COVID-19 pandemic and has engaged in global discussions on climate change and sustainable development.
Neves has also met with world leaders to address issues affecting small island nations and has supported youth and sports development in Cape Verde.
