Government’s Monument Project Amid São Vicente Crisis Sparks Outrage and Accusations of Misdirected Priorities

In what many are calling a tone-deaf and politically misguided move, the government of Cape Verde has announced plans to construct a monument to freedom and democracy—at a cost of 150,000 contos—even as the island of São Vicente reels from a devastating natural disaster. Critics argue the timing and intent behind the project reveal a profound lack of judgment and a willingness to place partisan interests above public welfare.

While citizens and international aid organizations rally to support those affected by the calamity, the government’s decision to allocate significant funds to a symbolic structure has been met with disbelief and anger. Is this a genuine effort to celebrate democratic values, or a costly diversion from pressing national issues?

A Monument to Vanity: Partisan Symbolism Over Public Need

At first glance, the idea of a monument celebrating freedom might seem noble. But context matters. The announcement comes amid widespread economic hardship and a national emergency, raising serious questions about the government’s priorities.

Rather than focusing exclusively on reconstruction efforts in São Vicente, the ruling party, Movimento para a Democracia (MpD), has chosen to invest in a project that many see as a vanity piece—an attempt to bolster its own historical narrative and rally its base.

Prominent members and hardline supporters of the MpD have openly framed the monument as a tribute to the party’s founding principles. In doing so, they have turned what should be a national symbol into a partisan trophy, funded by public money.

Opponents of the project—including some who do not belong to any political party—have been dismissed as tools of the opposition or even smeared as agents of a “communist threat,” a rhetorical throwback to Cold War-era politics that feels both outdated and deliberately inflammatory.

Timing and Tactics: A Government Losing Its Way?

With legislative elections approaching next year, critics argue the monument is less about patriotism and more about political survival. It is seen as a tactical misstep by a party desperate to energize its most radical supporters, even as broader public trust erodes.

This kind of symbolic gesture, critics say, is a classic distraction technique—meant to shift attention away from mounting controversies and governance failures. But what exactly is being hidden behind this flashy new project?

Diversion and Silence: What Isn’t Being Said

Behind the fanfare of the monument announcement lies a pattern of evasion and secrecy. Serious questions about government accountability remain unanswered, buried under what many describe as a “wall of silence.”

Among the most pressing issues are controversial contracts signed with foreign private companies in the air and maritime transport sectors—deals that some have labeled “lese-patria” (against the nation). In one case, a proposal approved by the Council of Ministers was allegedly altered after the fact, yet no one has taken responsibility.

Then there is the curious case of Sandeney Fernandes, former coordinator of the State Business Sector Monitoring Unit (UASE). His abrupt dismissal and immediate arrest—complete with a conspicuous police presence—smacked of political theater. Was he made a scapegoat to create the illusion of accountability while bigger names remain protected?

Rumors persist of government insiders—including a high-ranking official at the Caixa Económica de Cabo Verde—using privileged information to profit from share purchases. Meanwhile, the disastrous contract with CV Interilhas continues to drain public resources, with little explanation or oversight.

Law enforcement and judicial sources have also hinted at alleged kickback schemes and corruption tied to foreign investment deals—stories that remain untold, thanks to what appears to be systemic suppression.

A New Social Project: Reimagining Governance After Disaster

The tragedy in São Vicente should have been a wake-up call—an opportunity to rethink development policies, urban planning, and poverty alleviation strategies. Instead, it has exposed a governance model that prioritizes private profit over public good.

When Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva took office in 2016, he inspired hope for transparency and reform. But many now believe his administration has catered to a privileged few, leaving behind the poor and middle class while handing over strategic sectors to private interests.

What Cape Verde needs, argue progressive voices, is not a monument to a single party’s legacy, but a new patriotic and development-oriented project—one that ensures national sovereignty, social progress, and economic justice. This would require a clean break from neoliberal policies and what critics call “entreguismo”—the handing over of national assets to foreign entities.

The real monument Cape Verde deserves is not made of stone, but of justice, equity, and genuine democracy. It’s time to demand more from those in power—and to build a future that serves the many, not the few.

Published with acknowledgment to Santiago Magazine. Original reporting available via Brava News.