"I am a soldier of the country, I serve wherever my party naturally requests me", Higino Carneiro replied to Lusa, when asked if he considered the possibility of moving forward with a candidacy for the leadership of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), adding that such a claim "never crossed his mind".
Speaking at the end of a conference celebrating 22 years of peace and reconciliation, the well-known Angolan general and member of the MPLA said that his party "is not campaigning".
The name of Higino Carneiro, member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the MPLA and retired general, is mentioned in several circles as a possible candidate for the leadership of the MPLA, currently led by João Lourenço, who is also President of the Republic.
João Lourenço is constitutionally prevented from advancing to a third candidacy for President of the Republic.
For Higino Carneiro, approaches to associating his name with the party's leadership arise from social networks where "so much is written and spoken and intrigues are promoted to create division" among MPLA members.
Regarding the possibility of changes to the MPLA's statutes, the general said there was no such intention within the party, highlighting, however, that the activists "have the right to promote changes to their statutes".
"It's a collegial decision, if there is such a need, there certainly will be, but it has to be presented", he argued to Lusa.
Meetings of the Political Bureau and the MPLA Central Committee are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, in Luanda, the agenda of which has not been made public, with candidacies and changes to statutes among the possible topics that should dominate the meeting.
Asked about the meeting of these bodies of his party, Higino Carneiro replied: "Yes, they are regular meetings, they are meetings that are held quarterly or semi-annually in accordance with the calendar of the party organization".
Higino Carneiro, former governor of the provinces of Luanda, Cuanza Sul and Cuando Cubango, and general Clemente Cunjunca were the guests of the Provincial Student Association of Luanda, and discussed this Thursday the paths to achieving peace in Angola.
