In a publication shared on his account on the social network Instagram, Tchizé dos Santos defended that "Spain is being complicit in the international humiliation of one of the greatest African heroes, José Eduardo dos Santos. 'Que verguenza' [what a shame]... what sadness...".
"The institutions of your country handed over the corpse of one of the greatest African heroes to his ex-wife separated for 5 years, against the wishes of most of their children, to be taken away from Spain and humiliated by the Angolan dictatorship that persecuted him until death", wrote Tchizé dos Santos, addressing the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the president of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo.
The body of José Eduardo dos Santos was handed over, by decision of a Spanish court, to his widow, Ana Paula dos Santos, mother of three of the former President's eight children, against the wishes of the other five children (Isabel dos Santos, Tchizé dos Santos, Corean Du, Joess Avelino and Filomeno dos Santos, known as Zenu), who were not notified of the transfer.
"We, your children, were not given the right to say a final goodbye. Does this respect human rights President Pedro Sánchez? It is a disgrace to Spanish justice and the Spanish government. Family first. A state that does not Is it human? Is a judge in a Spanish criminal court deciding family matters and handing over the corpse of a leader of such importance as José Eduardo dos Santos correct? Does it respect what the Spanish legal system establishes?", asks Tchizé dos Santos.
The text accompanies a series of photographs of the oldest children of José Eduardo dos Santos, the first of which, featuring Isabel, Corean Du and Joess Avelino, was also shared by Isabel dos Santos on social media.
Along with the image, Isabel dos Santos wrote: "We are your children... we love you and take care of you in life, we were your company, in whom you ALWAYS trusted!... your enemies don't let you rest!! Our Father .. José Eduardo Dos Santos.... !!".
On Friday, the eldest sons of José Eduardo dos Santos expressed, through social networks, their regret at not being able to say goodbye to their father in the capital, where they have practically not been since the successor of José Eduardo dos Santos, João Lourenço, took office in 2017, and who, in the context of the fight against corruption that he raised as the banner of his mandate, waged a fight that affected part of the dos Santos family and some of his closest collaborators.
Isabel dos Santos is in the grips of Angolan justice and Tchizé dos Santos, who followed her father in his political career and was a MPLA deputy, says he fears for his life if he returns to Angola. The daughters fought in Spanish justice against the delivery of the body to Ana Paula dos Santos.
But Filomeno dos Santos, a son who lives in Luanda, where he is awaiting an appeal against a court decision that sentenced him to five years in prison, also did not participate in the wake organized by the Government, which wants to hold a state funeral in the coming days and supported the claims. of the widow against the will of the older children.
The ex-president's body was prepared on Sunday morning for the next few days of wake, in Luanda, so that people can "make the death", as it is called in Angolan tradition.
The remains will then be transported to the mausoleum that honors the first President of Angola, Agostinho Neto, on the 27th and the following day there will be a funeral ceremony, on which José Eduardo dos Santos would have turned 80.
The date of the ceremonies should coincide with the announcement of the first results of the general elections, which will take place on the 24th.
José Eduardo dos Santos ruled the country for three and a half decades, first at the head of the single regime party (MPLA) and then during the democratic regime.
