Luanda - The Angolan Parliament on Thursday unanimously approved a Consternation Vote for the death of the former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, which occurred on July 8 in Barcelona, Spain, due to illness.
The Consternation Vote was proposed by the parliamentary bench of the ruling MPLA, during the 7th Plenary Meeting of the National Assembly (Angolan parliament).
The Plenary of the National Assembly highlighted the dimension of José Eduardo dos Santos for his personal involvement in the process that led to the independence of Namibia, the fall of the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and the subsequent release of Nelson Mandela from prison.
Julião Mateus Paulo, MPLA MP, emphasized the humanist role of the former statesman, "who ordered the silencing of the weapons and created conditions for the negotiation of the process that led to the signing of the Peace agreement on April 4, 2002, now celebrated as Peace Day".
The MP recalled that José Eduardo dos Santos was the main architect of the country’s pacification process that involved in a first stage, through a round of negotiations, the United States of America (USA), Cuba and the then Soviet Union (Russia, later) and culminated with the signing of the Bicesse Agreement on May 31, 1991.
The MP added that, regardless of political differences, José Eduardo dos Santos "will always be remembered for his humanism, tolerance, forgiveness, strategic vision and high sense of state, having placed as a priority of his actions as Head of State, peace and national reconciliation.
In this ambit, Lucas Ngonda, FNLA deputy, said it was a deserved Vote of Consternation by the parliament, having considered the former Head of State "a unique patriot who occupied, for many years, the highest magistracy of the Nation".
Benedito Daniel, Mp of the PRS party, also welcomed the vote in homage and solidarity to the former president, for all that José Eduardo dos Santos did, having dedicated his entire life for the cause of us all.
Alexandre Sebastião André, whip of the coalition Casa-CE, the mourning for the death of the former Head of State by the MPs was well tought.
In the meantime, the MPs regretted the non-transfer to Angola, so far, of José Eduardo dos Santos’ remains.
Earlier on, the Plenary of the National Assembly held a minute of silence in loving memory of José Eduardo dos Santos, who, on an interview, said that he wanted to be remembered as a “good patriot”.
