Africa-Press – Cape verde. Luís Filipe Tavares, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communities of Cape Verde, clarifies the reference to his name made in the news, published on the 11th of this month on Asemanaonline and in several other national and foreign media outlets, about the searches made at the company of César do Paço, the former honorary consul of Cape Verde in Florida, USA, as can be seen in the Right of Reply published below.
Right of reply: Luís Filipe Tavares clarifies the reference to his name made in the piece about searches at César do Paço’s company from the Chega party
TO THE NEWSPAPER A SEMANA ONLINE
CIDADE DA PRAIA
LUÍS FILIPE LOPES TAVARES, having become aware of the content contained in the edition of the newspaper “A Semana on-line” that you direct, on October 12th of this year, mentioning your name, and understanding that such communication is offensive of his honor, good name and dignity, conveying a negative image of his character, hereby comes, and under the provisions of articles 18 and 19 of the Social Communication Law and articles 30 to 36 of the Written Press and News Agencies, exercise their right of reply, which they do under the following terms and grounds:
The news published in the edition of the newspaper “A Semana on-line” already mentioned, in addition to not corresponding in any way to the truth of the facts, are blatantly insulting and reveal journalism that does not strive for impartiality and objectivity.
In fact, if you journalists had been concerned with being diligent in investigating the facts, namely by asking the person concerned, the signatory, they would have realized the malicious intent of the news and would have fulfilled their legal obligations to inform truthfully and rigorously, to diversify sources, the contradictory principle with prior hearing of the interested party and objectivity. It seems that the newspaper was not interested in fulfilling these obligations, as it was interested in saying exactly what it ended up saying, without constraints of any kind.
And it’s not worth using the tired argument that the newspaper simply reproduced the news from another newspaper. Everyone is responsible for what they say and do, and cannot hide behind the thesis of careless reproduction of the news reported by their source.
But let’s get to the facts:
The people of Praia and Cape Verdeans in general are witnesses of what happened to me: I was publicly incriminated by television, radio and newspapers, my residence was the subject of an intense search, with several agents, in broad daylight, with pomp and fuss, my goods and equipment, such as cell phones and computer confiscated, all to find out if a car was bought with my money or was given to me.
I watched and endured all of this, with the conviction that the truth would always come out. My family and I suffered a lot because of this, but we were always encouraged by the faith that justice would be done and the truth restored. I resigned from a position in Government, as Minister for Foreign and Communities and Minister for Defense because of this.
After much investigation and all the tests and analyses, it was clearly concluded that I am innocent, that there was not a single piece of evidence against me. The case was archived. A cabal had been assembled against me. I see that the objective is to keep me away from political life.
Today the usual enemies, after the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is the only competent body and which is in possession of all the data, all the documentation, having ordered the case to be archived, come once again with the same story, a story that is discredited by the Public Ministry.
Only a very strong hatred can justify this obsession with me. Justice acquits me, but they insist on my public condemnation. Hatred is a terrible thing, that’s why it’s not Christian. Unhappy is he who lives by and for hatred. The only comfort is my conscience, but I do not renounce my right to legally take legal action, through criminal proceedings, against defamers who respect neither the law nor the courts.
City of Praia, October 18, 2023.
Luís Filipe Lopes Tavares
….
NR : 1) In A Semana there is not and cannot be hatred against anyone. Because Cape Verdeans have the right to be informed, the newspaper, which strives for the principles of objectivity, rigor in the processing of information and independence from public authorities and others, limited itself to reproducing and broadcasting news written by the magazine O Sábado, along with which Luís Filipe Tavares should react to.) 2. As can be seen in the piece in question (see link below), it was the suspect César do Paço who mentioned the name of Luís Filipe Tavares, clarifying the controversy surrounding the vehicle that remained in his power.
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