The data was released by the Minister of the Interior, Manuel Homem, at the end of the Council of Ministers meeting, where they reviewed the situation over the past two days, marked by acts of vandalism in the capital.
The acts of violence occurred after a three-day strike in taxi services, called by taxi associations and cooperatives, in protest against rising fuel prices and public transportation fares.
Manuel Homem stated that acts of vandalism have been seen over the past two days, particularly in Luanda province, which have jeopardized public safety in the capital, but also on Tuesday in the provinces of Huambo, Benguela, and Huíla.
"But the information we want to convey to citizens is that we trust the national security agencies, the National Police, who are committed to ensuring that the security, stability, and social peace we all seek and desire are achieved," said Manuel Homem.
The minister said there were also reports of vandalism of public institutions, such as National Police vehicles, ambulances, and buses, and that 66 stores, bank branches, and private vehicles were also damaged.
"The Ministry of the Interior agencies have taken measures to ensure our return to normality. We want to convey to Angolan citizens and the community residing in our country that we will remain committed to ensuring that public safety (...) will not undergo changes that would hinder the social life of all of us," he emphasized.
The minister assured that the situation in Luanda has returned to normal, and public transportation is now operating normally, as are other public services, which had not been closed, "but due to the nature of the situation, some public employees were absent from work," as well as private institutions.
"However, we will continue to maintain the measures already taken to protect and maintain security in the country, in Luanda and other provinces in critical situations," he emphasized.
"We want to convey this message of reassurance to the citizens, that we will continue to serve them. Because demonstrations are permitted by law, they are authorized, as long as they do not turn into acts of vandalism and disorder, like those we witnessed. We will always be vigilant and respond appropriately to each situation," he concluded.
The Council of Ministers' final statement emphasizes that the protesters' actions, "coupled with the presence of infiltrated elements with criminal intent, indicate that the phenomenon has gone beyond the scope of a simple protest and has taken on the contours of a threat to security and social peace, creating constraints on worker mobility and negatively impacting the productivity of social and economic sectors."
