Adalberto da Costa Júnior spoke in Cuíto, capital of the province of Bié, for about two hours, after a visit to Lopitanga, where the mortal remains of Jonas Savimbi, founder of the party, died in combat on 22 February 2002 and who would celebrate his 88th birthday this Wednesday.
The leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) regretted that he was denied authorization to occupy the largest square in Bié for his rally, urging the governors to "take off the shirt of the parties" and underlining: "The mandates don't last forever, when they give you the confidence we know it's for a determined time".
The candidate addressed Monday's press conference in which a leader of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) said that anyone who thought of winning the elections would be "lunatic", warning UNITA of acts with a "subversive" character recalling that the "subversion was defeated on February 22, 2002", in an allusion to the death in combat of Savimbi, who for almost 30 years waged a war against government forces supported by the MPLA.
"It's good that they spoke, I was saddened by the content [but it served] to show how the thinking of some comrades who are afraid of losing power is going", countered Adalberto da Costa Júnior, stressing that the time of the electoral campaign "is for the competition, but it's with respect, it's not getting blunt, getting angry, calling your competitor a foreigner".
He insisted that 47 years with the same party "is a long time", referring to the MPLA and that "it is time for alternation", criticizing the warmongering tone.
"Yes, there was a war, it was made by all of us, we all have to assume responsibilities and we have to turn the page. The war ended a long time ago and we also worked to make peace a reality, we worked hard for it", stressed the leader of the "Galo Negro" party, adding that the war did not end because there was a will on one side, but because of the will of all.
Also in response to statements by João "Jú" Martins, who said that if there were subversive actions "it would not be the MPLA that would fight with UNITA, but the Angolan State with its institutions", Adalberto da Costa Júnior accused the MPLA of wanting to use defense and security forces to ensure the maintenance of power.
"But our armed forces are not going to join in the fun anymore, our police are not going to join in the fun," he told his supporters.
"If being a lunatic is to love Angola and Angolans and fight for the well-being of Angolans, then I am a lunatic", he said, stressing that talking about transition is important for any country with stability and development and much more for a country like Angola, which lacks stability and development.
The candidate considered that showing openness to dialogue is showing openness and preparation, contrary to what his main political opponent does.
"We were warned that we are a danger to the country, so carrying out alternation is a danger for Angola, is carrying out democracy a danger for Angola? We have to educate our comrades, our comrades who used power to shield themselves in their luxuries and rights and forgot the people, it is these gentlemen who have flooded the [voter] lists with the dead", stressed the politician.
The UNITA leader stressed that he is "following the elections very carefully from the beginning" and called on the population to mobilize to vote, because nothing has been decided: "You are the ones who will say who will rule Angola in the future" and "they want to steal your vote", he warned.
Before Adalberto da Costa Júnior, the numbers two and three of the UNITA list spoke, belonging to other political forces aggregated in a platform called the United Patriotic Front, which also brings together members of civil society.
Justino Pinto de Andrade, number three, leader of the Democratic Bloc, said that the MPLA "is tired" and regretted the "maneuvers to intimidate opponents and Angolans" of a party that "has not learned what democracy is".
Number two, candidate for vice-president and leader of the political project PRA-JA Servir Angola, Abel Chivukuvuku, stressed that "everyone is a single team, led by UNITA".
UNITA and MPLA are the main contenders in the electoral campaign for the August 24 general elections, in which a total of eight political forces are running.
