Cape Verde today celebrates 21 years of democracy because in January 13th, 1991, was the date of the first multiparty elections in the country. In addition to the 5th of July and the 30th of January, the January 13 is the Freedom Day which became for the Cape Verdean history the latest milestone in the political process of the Republic.

After more than 500 years as a colony the country gained its independence from Portugal, July 5, 1975, and sixteen years later,was time for the winds of history come to the islands, with the completion of the first free elections in the country.

Following the international situation and the 1990 revision of the Constitution in force - that opened the country towards democracy - the newly created Movement for Democracy (MPD), which brought together several figures of the opposition to single-party regime of the African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), presented to the polls, winning the first multiparty legislative elections in the country. The MPD would ultimately be ten years in power.

The democratic alternation would arrive in 2001 with the return of the PAICV to power, and the sequent re-elections of 2006 and 2011.

The date in question was established as a national holiday by the government of MPD - accused by some of the "imposing" the losing party - celebrating thus the historical moment of democratic change.

If the historical fact is unmistakable, its name - Day of Freedom and Democracy - was never fully accepted by the wing affects the PAICV. And in recent years has been one of the "divisions" that divided the country on July 5 advocates and defenders of January 13.

However, despite the arguments of each party, it is certain that the date is already part of the daily lives of Cape Verdeans.

And with the election of lawyer Jorge Carlos Fonseca - supported by mpd - as president in 2011, some analysts ensure that the "pacification" of the hosts has already begun and should know a push in this balance of power between a government and a PAICV President supported by the opposition.