Angola holds funeral ceremony of former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos

Luanda, Angola | Xinhua | The funeral ceremony of Angola’s former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos was held Sunday in Luanda, the country’s capital.

The Territory Minister Marcy Lopes, the spokesman for the commission, said Saturday at least 21 foreign delegations, represented at the highest level, were expected to arrive in Angola to attend the funeral ceremony of the former president of the Southern African nation.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Angola from 1979 to 2017, died on July 8, 2022, at the age of 79, in Barcelona, Spain, where he spent most of his time over the past five years.

The arrival in Angola of the remains of Jose Eduardo dos Santos on Aug. 20 ended a dispute that lasted since July 8. The body was handed over to his widow Ana Paula dos Santos after a legal battle between two sides of the family in the Spanish courts.

The body was then taken to the former president’s residence in Luanda, where it remained until Aug. 27. ■