"There's a saying: who shouldn't fear and the absence of actors in certain parameters often supports the analysis that there are responsibilities," said the coordinator of the PRA-JA political project's installation commission, in an interview with Lusa, questioned about the allegations of relatives of the former head of state who say they are being persecuted by João Lourenço.
"It would have been good if they were here and defended themselves here, showing that they are right and not afraid. It would have been very good for the country, because by being away people get the idea that they have fled", the former president of the CASA-CE coalition and former leader of UNITA stressed.
Abel Chivukuvuku says that "unfortunately in Africa", politics has "risks and costs", but "those who are right, who know their innocence and are fair, assume that" because "we all take risks".
The politician stresses that "I would like to see things discussed here [in Angola]", although he admits that justice is "excessively" partisan.
"I'm aware of this, but it's with our struggle that we're going to transform the phenomena, it's not by being absent from all that, it's by participating, it's by facing up to and showing the citizen: I'm here," he insisted.
Abel Chivukuvuku, who also complains that he is being "stopped" by the regime after several frustrated attempts to legalise his new project, said he must show that he has the same rights as other Angolan citizens.
"I defend myself here and I will fight here for these rights," said the leader of the PRA-JA, assuring him that "you will not get into jail," because "the whole world will scream".
Three of the sons of former President José Eduardo dos Santos have been under the media spotlight in legal and political proceedings which, they claim, are persecutions.
The most famous is the case of his eldest daughter, businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, who was considered the richest woman in Africa, but in December saw her assets and accounts of companies seized in Angola and is the target of civil and criminal proceedings.
The financial schemes of Isabel dos Santos and her husband, Sindika Dokolo were exposed in an investigation by the international consortium of journalists that became known as "Luanda Leaks" and exposed how her fortune was built, withdrawing money from the Angolan public treasury, using tax havens.
Her sister, Welwitschia "Tchizé" dos Santos, a former MPLA MP, was removed from office in October 2019 for unjustified absences and later saw her militant status suspended for two years. Tchizé claims she has been out of the country for health reasons and has been threatened with death and is under pressure to sell her shares in Angolan companies.
Her brother, José Filomeno "Zenu" dos Santos, is on trial in Angola. The son of José Eduardo dos Santos and former president of the Sovereign Fund of Angola is accused of fraud, money laundering and influence peddling in the case known as '500 million', involving an alleged irregular transfer of US$500 million from the National Bank of Angola abroad.
The father, José Eduardo dos Santos, lives in Barcelona and was called to testify at the trial, but chose to respond in writing assuming he gave orders for the transfer of the money for which his son is being tried.
The trial was, however, adjourned due to the pandemic.
