Governor
- Political organization
In 1587 Duarte Lobo da Gama took office as the first Governador (governor), a figure that would remain until independence in 1975.
It was no easy task for the supreme representatives of the kingdom in Cape Verde, who were called on by the monarch to reconcile the often conflicting rights and interests of the moradores-armadores(resident-ship fitters), who were becoming the true senhores (gentry) of the islands of Santiago and Fogo. They dominated from external commerce (principally from the “ransom” of slaves) internal commerce and production itself, which gave them sufficient weight to exert an influence on the public administration, which often went beyond the bounds of the law (more than 20% of the armadores (ship fitters) were nobles, although they were still not permitted to set up ships) by occupying positions in the state administration.
In the 18th Century there was such tension between the figure of the Governor, a Portuguese citizen named by the monarch, and the Captain, a Creole who dominated the entire machinery of power, including the church, that the Captain petitioned the king to abolish the positions above him (Governor and Ouvidor).
The 19th Century was a period of famines and emigration in Cape Verde. In the 20th Century, the last colonial period, the governors in the Palace of Government were generally determined, and from 1960 until independence, under pressure from the movements for liberation of the colonies, they acted with relative success to resolve the endemic problems, such as tropical diseases, famines and inadequacies in education.
Independence showed that Cape Verde was not just prepared, but also keen to assume its government responsibilities. In a few decades it managed to improve all the indicators of economic, social, cultural and political progress, and to attract intense co-operation from many countries, including Portugal, wisely continuing with an integrating secular culture.
In 1587 Duarte Lobo da Gama took office as the first Governador (governor), a figure that would remain until independence in 1975.
It was no easy task for the supreme representatives of the kingdom in Cape Verde, who were called on by the monarch to reconcile the often conflicting rights and interests of the moradores-armadores(resident-ship fitters), who were becoming the true senhores (gentry) of the islands of Santiago and Fogo. They dominated from external commerce (principally from the “ransom” of slaves) internal commerce and production itself, which gave them sufficient weight to exert an influence on the public administration, which often went beyond the bounds of the law (more than 20% of the armadores (ship fitters) were nobles, although they were still not permitted to set up ships) by occupying positions in the state administration.
In the 18th Century there was such tension between the figure of the Governor, a Portuguese citizen named by the monarch, and the Captain, a Creole who dominated the entire machinery of power, including the church, that the Captain petitioned the king to abolish the positions above him (Governor and Ouvidor).
The 19th Century was a period of famines and emigration in Cape Verde. In the 20th Century, the last colonial period, the governors in the Palace of Government were generally determined, and from 1960 until independence, under pressure from the movements for liberation of the colonies, they acted with relative success to resolve the endemic problems, such as tropical diseases, famines and inadequacies in education.
Independence showed that Cape Verde was not just prepared, but also keen to assume its government responsibilities. In a few decades it managed to improve all the indicators of economic, social, cultural and political progress, and to attract intense co-operation from many countries, including Portugal, wisely continuing with an integrating secular culture.
