Cape Verde president rallies supporters as election campaign begins

Hundreds of Supporters of Cape Verde President Jose Maria Neves cheered him on at a rally in Sao Vicente, as campaigning in the country's presidential election kicked off on Saturday.

Supporters chanted and held signs backing Neves who's seeking a second term in the November 15 vote.

He is backed by the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), which won a majority in May's legislative elections.

**“**It is essential that we begin working to increase salary levels in Cape Verde. No country grows or competes on the basis of low wages. So, in order to improve wages and enhance household income, we must necessarily implement a set of important reforms in Cape Verde,” Neves said at the rally.

Six candidates are in the running for the Presidency ahead of the official end of campaigning on November 13, according to the National Elections Commission.

Neves' chief rival is expected to be former Justice Minister Joana Rosa, backed by the Movement for Democracy (MpD).

Cape Verde, an archipelago of 520,000 inhabitants in the Atlantic Ocean, lies some 600 kilometres (370 miles) off the coast.

A former Portuguese colony until 1975, it has been seen as a model of democracy in Africa.

Since the first free elections in 1991, the country has enjoyed relative calm with no electoral violence, despite two five-year periods of political cohabitation between different parties heading the government and presidency.

The country, however, faces significant social challenges, including poverty and youth unemployment.

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