Africa-Press – Angola. To the sound of recitals by the National Army band, Praça da República registered a considerable influx of generals, commissioners and senior officers from the Armed Forces and the National Police. On the occasion, General Américo Valente said that José Eduardo dos Santos leaves a great legacy, which is the maintenance of peace, national unity, national reconciliation and territorial integrity.
“He pacified the Nation, our Commander-in-Chief was a great fighter. He was a methodical, meticulous leader and had mastery of situations. His questions were punctual, concrete and very well directed. , we need to be well prepared and up to the task, to answer all your questions”, he said.
General Sousa, head of the Directorate of Operations of the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), recalled the guidelines expressed by the former Commander-in-Chief during the Battle of Kuito Kuanavale.
“I was in the FAPLA Command, at the time, as head of Operations, in the Battle of Kuito Kuanavale, where I was head of Operations for the 6th Region. the Armed Forces are always seen as a moral factor of the Nation”, he stressed.
For Lieutenant General Baltazar Pimenta, the legacy of José Eduardo dos Santos goes beyond the borders of Angola and the African continent: “It is with a great feeling of loss that we, today, have come to make a contribution to this great person before society, whose size and grandeur are incomparable.”
Chief Commissioner Elizabete Ranque Franque acknowledged José Eduardo dos Santos’ struggle for the emancipation of Angolan women: “It’s a feeling of loss, but it’s also a feeling of gratitude. So thank you Commander-in-Chief. To the family, I I wish a lot of strength, a lot of courage and that those hearts that, at this moment, are suffering with great pain, may the mighty Lord give comfort”.
For the ex-commander of the National Police, Paulo de Almeida, the feeling is one of great sadness, because José Eduardo dos Santos is a large figure that, with words alone, cannot be described. “I personally have good references from people and family members who will mark my entire life. He will be remembered with the exaltation of his name, and doing what he always wanted for Angolans, better life, health and conditions. that Angolans feel happy in their own land”, he observed.
Paulo de Almeida said that there is a share of guilt, for not being able to fulfill the dream of José Eduardo dos Santos to leave a better Angola for the Angolans.
The Voice Of Diplomats
The diplomatic corps accredited in Angola and senior embassy officials continue to honor the figure of José Eduardo dos Santos, considering him a leader who did everything and defended peace for Angolans in almost four decades of governance.
The ambassador of South Africa, Oupa Ephraim Monareng, recognized the contribution of the former statesman, in laying the foundations for the freedom of South Africa against Apartheid, and for that, he will always be remembered in Southern Africa.
“Our countries are free thanks to the intervention of José Eduardo dos Santos. He is a hero and will remain in the annals of our history. He will always be recognized, because we are and will always be grateful. We are saddened by his departure, but we hope that his soul rest in peace,” he said.
Marlon Peña Labrador, Ambassador of Venezuela, expressed his deepest condolences to the Government of Angola, stating that the death of José Eduardo dos Santos is an irreparable loss, but that the deeds will be a legacy and example for life.
“We are in solidarity with your pain. We are here to honor the former President. Therefore, the Angolan people must cherish the path of this great statesman who, in almost four decades, dedicated his life to leaving peace as a heritage” , reaffirmed.
Manuel Larrera, Ambassador of Spain, considered the former President of Angola as a very important figure for Modern History, whose dimension crosses the country’s borders, while the head of the Polish diplomatic mission, Piotr Jozef Mýliwiec, said that Dos Santos will mark history forever and is an example to the whole world in achieving the peace that the country needed.
The Japanese diplomat, Jiro Maruhashi, praised José Eduardo dos Santos. He said that he was an easy-going leader, whom he still knew when he was a translator for the Japanese mission in Angola: “He will be missed, not only by the Angolan people, their families, but also by the diplomatic corps accredited in Angola. preserve the union and everything he has done for Angola”.
Domingos Vieira Lopes, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the massive presence of diplomats during the week is a reflection of the appreciation and respect that the international community had for José Eduardo dos Santos.
“Many of them have been here since the time he was President, so they have a very strong presence, the diplomatic vein in the framework of the relations we have with other countries. And they are here and as you may have noticed the ambassadors almost write a book. I’m sure they’re remembering particular moments they shared with our former President José Eduardo dos Santos”, he said.
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