José Eduardo dos Santos, Angola’s second president who ruled the mineral-rich state for almost four decades, has died aged 79, the government says.
He died in Spain where he was being treated for an undisclosed illness.
Dos Santos will be remembered for ending a long-running civil war in the early 2000s – he was dubbed the “architect of peace”.
But his legacy is soiled by high levels of corruption and human rights violations while he was in power.
Having graduated in petroleum engineering in the Soviet Union in 1969, Dos Santos was only 37 years old when he became Angola’s president a decade later, following the death of the first president, António Agostinho Neto.
At the time, just four years after gaining independence in 1975, the country was wracked by a civil war between the two groups that had fought Portuguese colonisation – Dos Santos’ MPLA and Unita.
The war lasted for 27 years and ravaged the country. About 500,000 people are believed to have died in the conflict.
It also drew in foreign powers, with South Africa – then under white-minority rule – sending troops to support Unita, while Cuban forces intervened on the government’s side.
Two plunderers in one picture. Too bad Santos.
I don’t know how he’ll be mourned considering the way he’s been treated since leaving power. His successor has treated him like a piece of trash and it’s regrettable. His role to stabilize Zambia can’t be ignored. Without his input Zambia risked going up in flames due the PF in-fighting when MCS died. He wasn’t a Brenthurst puppet. He stood against imperialism at a very tender age of 37 when Augustino Neto died. There’s no incumbent President in Africa that has ever gained anything by mistreating his predecessor. People should understand that there’s life after politics. There are many positives that we can remember Jose for. MHSRIP
Why you leaving out how he stole billions from his country with his daughter Mr. hypocrite? Standing against imperialism while impoverishing your people can only impress empty heads.
I believe he will be buried with all his wealth mansions .cars, jewelry, cash….we came we nothing on this earth and we leave with nothing
Another thief bites the dust.
Another great man killed by the imperialist. Atleast I was fortunate to have met him in person. To hell with the imperialist