In a message disseminated through his account on the social network Twitter, João Lourenço congratulated the young Angolans who shared their experience in China on public television, considering them as an example of a successful case that should be followed.
"Your self-discipline was the secret of life's victory over disgrace", praised the chief executive, five days after Angola declared a state of emergency due to the covid-19 pandemic, which includes measures of social isolation.
Among internet users there are those who support the President, but also those who criticize the fact that aircraft from the airline TAAG have been made available to transport Angolans from Portugal, contrary to what happened in China.
"With regard to these young students, I would like to understand why Angola did not come to collect them", while "those from Portugal, Angola sent TAAG to bring them", criticized a user of the social network.
Another reinforced that the Government "ordered yours" to be brought from Portugal, "while ours in China claimed and no movement of yours".
"It was preferred to risk the life of the country for an elitist minority," commented one internet user, while another questioned: "Could it be that the young Angolans who were in Portugal could not have followed the example".
Several TAAG flights returned from Portugal in the week that Angola decided to close borders, before and after 20 March, with passengers being placed in domestic and institutional quarantine.
The country has so far registered seven cases of infection with the new coronavirus, of which two ended up dying and one is already recovered. The patients are Angolan citizens who returned from Portugal in mid-March.
About 40 Angolan students were held in February in Wuhan, the Chinese city that was the initial epicenter of the epidemic and which was quarantined on 23 January, but the Angolan parliament rejected the request for repatriation.
