Africa-Press – Angola. The remains of retired lieutenant general António Valeriano, one of the commanders of the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale, who died last Monday, in Luanda, victim of illness, aged 67, were buried this Saturday, in the cemetery of Kawayala, in Huambo.
The funeral ceremony, marked with patriotic songs and prayers, was witnessed by the Minister of National Defense and Veterans of the Fatherland, João Ernesto dos Santos, accompanied by the governor of the province of Huambo, Lotti Nolika, General Pedro Sebastião, representatives of the governments of Bié and Cuando Cubango, high-ranking members of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), among other figures.
In the message of condolences, the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the FAA, João Lourenço, considered Lieutenant General António Valeriano as a notable troop fighter and, thanks to his multiple qualities, he held positions of great responsibility at the various levels of the Command, throughout his military career, whose positions he held with panache and a high patriotic sense until the date of his retirement.
“I fulfill the great honor of paying the last tribute to who was and will continue to be one of the greatest references in military history and not only of independent Angola, and of the liberation of the States of the Southern Region of the African continent, to the extent that the his contribution to the abolition of Apartheid in South Africa and, concomitantly, the release of Nelson Mandela”, he highlighted.
The statesman highlights that the lieutenant general was the president of the Forum of Combatants of the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale (FOCOBACC), the Association that protects the honor and bravery of the history of independent Angola.
In his message, the President of the Republic stated that the country in general and the Armed Forces, in particular, lost one of its most outstanding sons, whose example of bravery will continue to galvanize the new military effort, with his legacy immortalized from generation to generation .
With his example of great firmness and unshakable dignity, he added, Lieutenant General António Valeriano dedicated his entire youth and life to the noble cause of defending national independence, the integrity of the country’s soil and the Angolan people.
João Lourenço addressed Lieutenant General António Valeriano as a true fearless fighter and leader of valiant fighters for the Fatherland, who knew how to take important decisions in dedicated and adverse situations to reverse the military situation in the operational theater in which he operated, placing an important stone on the foundation of the definitive peace that the country achieved and has been preserving for more than two decades.
“In this moment of deep sadness, due to the premature loss of this brave combatant, I express my feelings of condolence and send a message of comfort to the bereaved family”, concluded the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the FAA.
Speaking to the press, the Minister of National Defense and Veterans of the Fatherland, João Ernesto dos Santos, said that the country has just lost a valuable combatant, a tug-of-war, a general officer, who during the time he was in the ranks of the FPLA and FAA, always dedicated his life to the cause of the people and the Fatherland.
“We don’t have enough words to describe the past of the failed lieutenant general António Valeriano, so we think that the best way to permanently pay tribute to our heroes and our fighters who did everything to make the country what it is today, is to We erect collective and individual monuments, so that, whenever necessary, the country’s authorities can organize themselves on the appropriate dates to pay deserved tribute”, he said.
In turn, the governor of the province of Huambo, Lotti Nolika, remembered António Valeriano as a tireless fighter, who dedicated 46 years to the service of the Army and the Angolan Homeland, with 15 notable years in the extinct Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA ).
FAA reaction
In praise of the Angolan Armed Forces, António Valeriano was considered “one of the best sons of the Angolan people”, for having been one of the most outstanding fighters for the liberation of Southern Africa and the world, with an invaluable contribution to the destruction of the Apartheid regime, just as he helped change the “Cradle of Humanity” continent.
According to the FAA, all those who fought against the invaders in Angola are heroes of humanity, who deserve recognition, those who contributed to the Tomb Triangle, created a Southern African Liberation Day, which is celebrated on March 23rd.
Remember that António Valeriano commanded the 25th Military Infantry Brigade in those times that changed Africa and the world, as he was the hero of the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale.
The Angolan Armed Forces also consider Lieutenant General António Valeriano a hero of Angola, for having helped to defeat foreign invaders, an African, for having freed the continent from the then racist regime in Pretoria, and a universal hero, because he rescued the honor of humanity, tarnished, at the time, by racism.
Likewise, messages of condolence were read, in addition to family and friends, from the provincial governments of Huambo and Bié, the latter where he worked, before being licensed to retire via the service order of the Commander-in-Chief. Chief no. 6/23, the role of commander of the 4th Infantry Division of the Central Military Region.
António Valeriano was born on October 10, 1956, in the town of Cawala, in the municipality of Caála, province of Huambo.
During his military career, the lieutenant general stood out as one of the commanders of the historic and victorious Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, fought from November 15, 1987 to March 23, 1988, which marked the decisive turning point in the war in Angola, with regional implications, and allowed the New York agreements, responsible for the Independence of Namibia and the end of the apartheid regime in South Africa.
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