Luanda - The President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on Saturday highlighted José Eduardo dos Santos role in the affirmation of Angola at the contemporary world.
The Portuguese statesman, who arrived Saturday morning in Luanda to attend the funeral ceremonies of José Eduardo dos Santos, said that the former Angolan president marked, in a positive way, the relationship between Angola and Portugal.
Speaking to journalists, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa highlighted the Angolan presence and projection, after the independence, in the international community as one of the main marks of José Eduardo dos Santos.
The Casket containing the remains of the former Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos arrived in the Republic Square at 10:00 am of Saturday (27) from his Miamar official residence, in Luanda.
The body will remain at Republic Square until Sunday for the due public tributes.
The funeral ceremony, scheduled for Sunday morning, 28 (the day he would have turned 80 years old), will be attended by 21 foreign individuals, including the heads of State and Government from some African countries and Portugal.
José Eduardo dos Santos died at the age of 79 last July 8th, in a Barcelona hospital, where he had been hospitalised since June 23rd, as result of a heart failure.
Dos Santos became President of the Republic in September 1979, following the death of António Agostinho Neto, Angola's first President.
He remained in office for 38 years (until 2017), after which he was succeeded by João Lourenço.
