Former president José Eduardo dos Santos dies

 Luanda – The former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos died Friday (July 8th) of illness in Barcelona, Spain.

The news was confirmed by the Angolan Government, which reports that the death was confirmed at 11 am by the medical team.

José Eduardo dos Santos, 79, returned to Barcelona at the beginning of March this year to continue his medical treatment, which started in 2019.

The information was confirmed through a short message from the President of Angola, João Lourenço, published on the official website of the Presidency of the Republic.

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José Eduardo dos Santos came to power in September 1979, following the death of the First President of Angola, António Agostinho Neto.

He served as President of the Republic for 38 years, until September 2017, when he was succeeded by the current Head of State, João Lourenço.

In addition to being President of the Republic, he was Commander-in-Chief of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) and President of the ruling MPLA party, the political organization that has ruled the country since the proclamation of national independence on 11 November 1975.

His political record also includes the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other functions in the State and in the MPLA.

He led the process that culminated in the signing of the Peace Accords on 4 April, 2002, following the death of the then founding leader of UNITA, Jonas Savimbi.