In the capital, several temples have already been closed, including the cathedrals of Maculusso, Alvalade, Viana, FTU, Morro Bento, Benfica and Patriota, reported Radio Luanda.
The seizure of these buildings by the UCKG is taking place within the framework of the process carried out by the PGR under suspicion of money laundering, tax fraud and criminal association, at a time when the religious organization has a Reform Commission in Angola.
At the end of July, the Commission for the Reform of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Angola dismissed the board and elected new members, also putting an end to the services of Brazilian missionaries, decisions published in minutes that the UCKG Angola claims to be illicit.
In a communiqué sent to Lusa and signed by Bishop António Ferraz, the UCUR Angola promised to adopt all measures to react to the illegal publication of the minutes, which was published in the Diário da República on 24 July, and to "put an end to the illegal action of those who now call themselves the 'Commission for Reform of the UCUR'".
The internal tension within the UCKG in Angola has dragged on since November last year, when a group of Angolan bishops and pastors broke up with the Brazilian leadership and worsened in June with the dissidents taking control of most of the temples, exchanging mutual accusations of illicit acts.
The conflict has already led to the opening of criminal cases in the Attorney General's Office (PGR) of Angola and has moved into the diplomatic sphere, with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro asking his counterpart, João Lourenço, for guarantees of protection for Brazilian pastors and the Church's heritage, with the Angolan head of state promising an "appropriate treatment" of the matter in justice.
According to the Diário da República on 24 July, at the extraordinary meeting the Commission for Reform of the UCKG Angola decided to dismiss the management body of the UCKG Angola led by Bishop Honorilton Gonçalves "for systematic violation of the statutes and rights of the members of the UCKG in Angola.
"Rational discrimination and violation of statutory norms, imposition and coercion of castration or vasectomy of pastors and abuse of trust in the management of financial resources and property" of the IURD Angola are some of the reasons for the dismissal.
At the Extraordinary Assembly, the Commission for the Reform of the UCKG Angola elected Bishop Valente Bizerra Luís as its coordinator and also decided "unanimously to end the ecclesiastical service by the UCKG Angola of Brazilian missionaries throughout the Angolan territory".
The minutes published in the Diário da República state that the members have empowered the Reform Commission of the UCKG Angola to manage all the ecclesiastical television, radio, print and digital platforms of the UCKG Angola.
In response, Bishop António Ferraz stated that the group of dissidents, promoters of the Reform Commission of the UCKG Angola, "are not the legitimate representatives" stating that some were expelled due to "illicit acts and violation of the code of conduct of the church".
