The president of Cape Verde affirmed that there are no “taboo topics in democracy” and that there is “maturity” to talk about. The heads of both States affirmed the excellent “complicity” between the two countries.
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The presidents of Portugal and Cape Verde discarded the specter of reparations this Tuesday and held a “relationship of excellence”“without taboos”, when speaking at a meeting with the Portuguese community, in Praia.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa described the reception in the archipelago as something that “has no qualifications. “It is more than a mere fraternity, it is complicity.” which responds to “some anxieties” that may exist about the past.
“I have the feeling that we get along better than last time. Cooperation is better”, as well as “It is better to share and partner between the two countries and governments”he added, after mentioning during the afternoon that the reparations that Portugal owes to its former colonies are already being implemented through bilateral cooperation.
“I even worry because, normally, when everything is going at this level of excellence, we start to think: what could be a little worse? But we didn’t find anything,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
During the reception for the Portuguese community at the residence of the Portuguese ambassador in Cape Verde, Marcelo asked his counterpart José Maria Neves to assume the protocol role usually reserved for the Portuguese president and be the last to speak.
The Cape Verdean head of state alluded to the questions that journalists have asked him about Marcelo’s statements on reparations, to say that “there are no taboo topics in democracy.”
“And between us, with the maturity we already have, we can speak as people who understand each other,” he said, after having referred the topic during the day for a “serene” debate.
The president of Cape Verde calls for serenity in the debate on possible reparations for former colonies
“There won’t be any storms in the future regarding the debates we may have. Cape Verde and Portugal understand each other very well. The relationships are excellent, very mature. And from all our discussions new light can still emerge to build a new future,” she stated.
José Maria Neves wants Portugal to “continue to be that lighthouse country”, whose revolution “They became carnations” and promoted democracy..
“I am sure that together we will continue traveling this path of strengthening freedoms to affirm democracy,” he concluded.
The two heads of state will meet again on Wednesday for the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Tarrafal concentration camp, in which the president of Guinea-Bissau, Sissoco Embalo, and the Minister of Defense of Angola will also participate. representation of the head of state, João Lourenço.
Source: Observadora
