At approximately midnight Sunday, Pedro Pires claimed victory in Cape Verde’s 2006 presidential elections, with a short declaration to the media. Pires promised to give a more substantial and lengthy declaration as soon as his opponent Carlos Veiga made a statement regarding the vote.......

According to the figures from the Electoral Administration Department (DGAE), Pedro Pires was in the lead with a total of 84,793 votes (50.8%), against Carlos Veiga’s 82,293 (49.3%). Numbers from two polling stations were still to be counted.

All told, with the numbers from the two stations still to be figured in to the final tally, Pedro Pires enjoyed at 2,500 vote advantage over his opponent. The abstention rate for yesterday’s vote was 46%.

After hearing on Cape Verdean National Radio that Carlos Veiga would only make an announcement on the elections Monday, Pedro Pires decided to speak to the country and confess his satisfaction with the apparent victory. “It is a great honor to merit the confidence of Cape Verdeans, to merit the confidence of my country,” he affirmed, thanking his collaborators and family for having supported him in his run for the presidency.

source a semana