Relationship dossier
Cape Verde
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
The Alex Saab extradition case has been the principal source of friction between Cape Verde and Venezuela.
Cape Verde toward Venezuela
-20Cape Verdean authorities detained Venezuelan envoy Alex Saab in June 2020 and extradited him to the United States in October 2021 after court proceedings, despite Venezuela's objections to the case.
Venezuela toward Cape Verde
-20Venezuela denounced Cape Verde's detention and extradition of Alex Saab, maintaining that he was a diplomatic envoy and that the proceedings were unlawful.
Overall relationship
-15The bilateral relationship has been shaped notably by the dispute over Alex Saab: Cape Verde pursued his extradition through its courts, while Venezuela strongly objected. The extent of other sustained cooperation or disagreement is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Alex Saab extradition case became a major source of friction between Cape Verde and Venezuela. Cape Verdean authorities detained Saab in 2020 and, after court proceedings, extradited him to the United States in 2021. Venezuela denounced the detention and extradition, asserting that Saab held diplomatic status. The case weighs on the relationship, while the scope of other bilateral cooperation is unclear.
Areas of tension
- Venezuela's claim that Alex Saab had diplomatic status and Cape Verde's handling of his detention and extradition.
Key developments
Cape Verdean authorities detained Alex Saab, whom Venezuela described as a diplomatic envoy.
Cape Verde extradited Alex Saab to the United States after court proceedings, drawing strong objections from Venezuela.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of bilateral cooperation outside the Alex Saab case is unclear.
- The parties' subsequent diplomatic engagement and implementation of any bilateral arrangements are uncertain.