Africa-Press – Cape verde. The President of the Republic of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, awarded, Saturday, in Mindelo, São Vicente, the Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty, the highest degree of the Order, to Amílcar Cabral, hero and considered father of Cape Verdean nationality. verdiana. The distinction was given to Pedro Pires, former president of the Republic of Cape Verde and colleague of Amílcar Cabral during the national liberation struggle.
The delivery of this insignia, the highest degree of the Order, granted to foreign heads of state, took place during the posthumous award ceremony of the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa to Amílcar Cabral, held by the University of Mindelo (UM) in commemoration of to the 20th anniversary of that university.
According to the Portuguese head of state, all his predecessors, such as António Ramalho Eanes, Mário Soares, Jorge Sampaio and Aníbal Cavaco Silva, had paid, on several occasions, the tribute due to the “great man”, Amílcar Cabral.
Amílcar Cabral, recognized worldwide
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa recalled that all previous Portuguese Presidents of the Republic had decorated the Heads of State of the independent homelands born of the struggles of the 60s and 70s, but, what remained was to decorate “the one who did not become Head of State for a few months”, or namely, Amilcar Cabral.
“Despite being a pioneer among pioneers, perhaps the most universally recognized, for what he was, for what he symbolized and for what he symbolizes today and will symbolize tomorrow the great man Amílcar Cabral. How can we wait one more day to pay homage for so long postponed?”, questioned Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who later handed the necklace to Pedro Pires, former president of the Republic of Cape Verde and colleague in the national liberation struggle of Amílcar Cabral.
“At the conclusion of this academic act, I ask permission from Your Excellency, magnificent Rector and the illustrious cloister masters and doctors, to hand over to Mr. commander Pedro Pires and, through him, the family of the great man, the great necklace of the Order of Freedom in the name of Portugal”, declared Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on the occasion.
Cabral, symbol of freedom and democracy
For his part, the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, José Maria Neves, defended that the gesture of awarding the Great Collar of the Order of Liberty to Amílcar Cabral was “one of the most powerful moments of the ceremony” of the ceremony held Saturday, 10, by the University of Mindelo (UM) to grant, posthumously, the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa to Amílcar Cabral.
As the Cape Verdean head of state argued, “Cabral fought for freedom, he is the great symbol of freedom in Africa, he is the great symbol of freedom and democracy in Portugal”.
Neves also made a point of remembering that Amílcar Cabral responded in one of the press conferences, which he gave, that “the national liberation struggle would also be a contribution alongside the Portuguese anti-fascists for the democratization of Portugal”.
Commitment to common struggle
The President of the Republic of Cape Verde also considered that Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa’s gesture seals the commitment to the common struggle of Portuguese anti-fascists, Portuguese colonies, fighters for freedom in Portugal and fighters for freedom in Cape Verde and all other former Portuguese colonies.
“It is also a gesture of recognition to the Portuguese anti-fascists and to all those who, in the Tarrafal Concentration Camp (in Santiago) suffered because they always wanted to fight for freedom and democracy in Portugal. I thank him as a citizen, as President of the Republic of Cape Verde and as a friend and family member of Amílcar Cabral and as a great admirer of Amílcar Cabral”, stated José Maria Neves.
According to the Portuguese Honorary Orders, the Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty is awarded by the President of the Republic to former heads of State and to people whose deeds, of an extraordinary nature and special relevance for Portugal, make them worthy of this distinction. Therefore, it constitutes the highest honor bestowable within the scope of the Portuguese Honorary Orders.
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