The judicial system is comprised of a Supreme Court of Justice--whose members are appointed by the President, the National Assembly, and the Superior Board of the Magistrature--and regional courts. Separate courts hear civil and criminal cases. Appeal to the Supreme Court is possible.
Principal Government Officials
President--António Mascarenhas Monteiro
Prime Minister--Carlos Alberto Wahnon Veiga
President of the National Assembly--António Espirito Santo Fonseca
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Amílcar Spencer Lopes
Minister of National Defense--Ulpio Fernandes
Ambassador to the United States--Vacant
Ambassador to the United Nations--José Luís Monteiro
Cape Verde maintains an embassy in the United States at 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C. 20007 (tel. 202-965-6820) and a consulate in Boston (tel. 617-353-0014).
Political conditions
Cape Verde enjoys a stable democratic system. The Movement for Democracy (MpD?) captured a governing majority in the National Assembly in the country's first multi-party general elections in 1991. The MpD? was returned to power with a larger majority in the general elections held in December 1995. Currently, there are three parties with seats in the National Assembly--MpD? 50, PAICV 21, and PCD 1.
Country name:
conventional long form:
Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form:
Cape Verde
local long form:
Republica de Cabo Verde
local short form:
Cabo Verde
Data code: CV
Government type: republic
Capital: Praia?
Administrative divisions:
14 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); [Boa Vista]?, Brava?, Fogo?, Maio?, Paul, Praia?, [Porto Novo]?, [Ribeira Grande]?, Sal?, [Santa Catarina]?, [Santa Cruz]?, [Sao Nicolau]?, [Sao Vicente]?, Tarrafal?
note:
there may be a new administrative structure of 16 districts (Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros?, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, [Sao Domingos]?, Sao Nicolau, [Sao Filipe]?, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal)
Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
Constitution: new constitution came into force 25 September 1992
Legal system: derived from the legal system of Portugal
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President [Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro]? (since 22 March 1991)
head of government:
Prime Minister [Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA]? (since 13 January 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister from among the members of the National Assembly
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2001); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president
election results:
Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro reelected president; percent of vote - Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (independent) 80.1%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 2000)
election results:
percent of vote by party - MPD 61.3%, PAICV 29.8%, PCD 6.7%, other 2.2%; seats by party - MPD 50, PAICV 21, PCD 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia
Political parties and leaders: [African Party for Independence of Cape Verde]? or PAICV ([Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES]?, chairman); [Movement for Democracy]? or MPD (Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and president); [Party for Democratic Convergence]? or PCD ([Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]?, president); Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS ([Dr. Oresimo SILVEIRA]?, president)
International organization participation: ACCT?, ACP?, AfDB?, CCC?, ECA?, ECOWAS?, FAO, G-77?, IBRD?, ICAO, ICFTU?, ICRM?, IDA?, IFAD?, IFC?, IFRCS?, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat?, Interpol?, IOC, IOM? (observer), ITU, NAM?, OAU?, OPCW?, UN, UNCTAD?, UNESCO, UNIDO?, UPU, WCL?, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ferdinand Amilcar Spencer LOPES
chancery:
3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
[1] (202) 965-6820
FAX:
[1] (202) 965-1207
consulate(s) general:
Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Lawrence Neal BENEDICT
embassy:
Rua Abilio Macedo 81, Praia?
mailing address:
C. P. 201, Praia
telephone:
[238] 61 56 16
FAX:
[238] 61 13 55
Flag description: three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands