Ulisses travels to the US for campaign at public expense
The leader of the MpD is in the United States until next Sunday and, although the trip is presented as the Prime Minister's agenda, the truth is that the visit has all the hallmarks of a campaign, scheduled right after Francisco Carvalho's meetings with the Cape Verdean community living there. With one fundamental difference: the PAICV delegation's trip was paid for by the party; in the case of Ulisses, the state is paying. In other words, all of us (the taxpayers) are funding the MpD's campaign.
On Friday, 06, Ulisses Correia e Silva left for the United States of America (USA), where he is expected to stay until Sunday, 08. A note from the government indicates that the trip is being made in his capacity as prime minister, in order to maintain contacts with the Cape Verdean community living there and to fulfill an institutional and community agenda.
However, the content of the note and the reasons for the official visit are more like a campaign for the leader of the Movement for Democracy (MpD) and candidate for prime minister in the May 17 elections. A trip strategically scheduled after Francisco Carvalho's visit to the US, clearly designed to counter the effects of the visit to the US by the leader of the largest opposition party. However, with one fundamental difference: the PAICV delegation's trip was paid for by the party; in Ulisses' case, it's the state that's paying.
That is, it's all of us (the taxpayers) who are funding the MpD's campaign.
Clearly, a party agenda
Almost following the same route as Francisco Carvalho and with similar contacts, Ulisses Correia e Silva will be meeting with mayors and association leaders in the cities of Boston, Brockton and Waterbury, in the state of Connecticut, as well as contacts with representatives of entities in the state of Massachusetts.
This is how it will be this Saturday.
Thus, this Saturday, July 7, the MpD president will attend a brunch with elected officials of Cape Verdean origin, including the mayor and community leaders, at the Cape Verdean Association of Brockton. On the same day, between 3:00 and 5:30 p.m., he meets with the Cape Verdean community of Waterbury, Bridgeport and Norwich, in Waterbury, Connecticut.
According to the government, these trips "are part of the strategy of valuing the diaspora, strengthening economic diplomacy and deepening international partnerships, with a direct impact on Cape Verde's development". However, to a closer observer, these arguments are reminiscent of the story of the hidden cat with its tail hanging out.
Santiago Magazine
Photo: DR
