Opinion Poll: Cape Verde Residents Demand Release Of Venezuelan Diplomat, Alex Saab

Perturbed by his continued detention, residents of Cape Verde have demanded the release of the Venezuelan Diplomat, Alex Saab, who is allegedly being detained in Cape Verde since 2020.

The residents called on the President of Cape Verde to release Alex Saab calling his arrest illegal.

They said Saab’s continued detention since last year is in breach of ECOWAS Protocols, the Charter of the African Union and a gross violent violation of international law

The residents, in an opinion poll recently conducted by the Eduino Santos institution called for the release of the diplomat just as they expressed discontentment over the government’s handling of the detention of Venezuelan diplomat.

Respondents, totalling 1,988 persons, were above the age of 18 years and from S. Vicente – 397; Santiago North – 779 and Santiago South – 812.

Reacting to the question regarding the appeal by Mr Saab to the Constitutional Court, 806 residents opined that he should be released while 511 others think he should not, the report of the survey showed.

Similarly, a significant part of the respondents said the country’s refusal to obey the ruling of the ECOWAS court and the continuous detention as illegal and mockery of the court.

Consistent with the views expressed, the vast majority of respondents also think that Saab’s case in Cape Verde should be closed, end his over nine months controversial.

Mr Saab was arrested and detained in Cape Verde based on the request of the Donald Trump led United States government during a stop over on his way to Iran over allegations of money laundering, a move the Venezuelan government faulted with claims that the businessman is its special envoy on a humanitarian mission.

On March, 15, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court ruled that the continued detention and push for extradition of Venezuelan diplomat, Alex Saab by the Cape Verde government is illegal.

The judgement of the ECOWAS court is based on the absence of a Red Notice when Saab was arrested in June last year.

However, Cape Verde authorities have refused to obey the order and a ruling by the Cape Verdean Supreme court
on Tuesday March 16 that Saab be extradited to the United States has strengthened this position.