In an interview with DW, João Lourenço, who was Minister of Defense of ex-president José Eduardo dos Santos and general secretary of MPLA, a party in power for almost 40 years, underlined that “nobody can say that he was not part of the system”, but it is also because he knows the system from the inside that he is able to “correct what is wrong”.
Since taking office two years ago, João Lourenço has given priority to the fight against corruption and the return of capital to the country, projects that have led the court to file a lawsuit against the daughter of his predecessor, Isabel dos Santos, and an order 1 billion euros worth of property foreclosure.
“Those who made the big changes are not outsiders, they are the ones who know the system”, said the head of state, adding: “It is we, from the party that has always governed the country [Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola], who we are carrying out the reforms that were absolutely necessary to be made”.
In the interview, João Lourenço also spoke, for the first time, about the investigation of “Luanda Leaks”, which exposed the financial schemes behind the empire of Isabel dos Santos, stressing that no negotiations are taking place with the businesswoman and daughter of the former president, currently accused in a criminal case in Angola.
“You will not negotiate, as long as there was time, there was an opportunity to do so. Therefore, people involved in this type of acts of corruption had six months grace period to return the funds that they improperly removed from the country. Whoever did not take advantage of this opportunity, all the consequences that may result from that are only their entire responsibility”, he declared.
Asked about other judicial investigations, in particular about José Eduardo dos Santos, he explained that the former Presidents enjoy immunity for at least five years and that it is up to the court to make these decisions, rejecting the existence of political processes.
“It is not the politicians who open criminal proceedings in the courts. It is Justice itself that goes after possible crimes. Therefore, all those who are accountable to the Justice who do not think that it is the political power that pushed them to Justice”, he added.
He guaranteed that "Justice has free hands to act" and that no one can say "’ I cannot be heard’" or "constituted defendant".
As for the case of ex-vice president Manuel Vicente, accused of paying almost one million euros in bribes to a Portuguese prosecutor, he recalled that he also has immunity and that the fact that the case was requested to be transferred to Angola, "Does not mean absolution".
João Lourenço also said that Manuel Vicente is not his advisor, an "invention" that attributes "those who did not want the process to be transferred from Portugal to Angola".
The chief executive stressed that the fact that he has witnessed corruption in the country over the years and “for not agreeing that the situation would continue”, decided to fight this fight.
“Today we have the opportunity to change this state of affairs, we think it is time to do so. We know that it takes a lot of courage. We encountered some resistance. We prefer to fight against it than to settle down and let things continue as before”, he reinforced.
