Presidential guards prevent Angolan opposition from delivering letter to Supreme Court

Leaders of the United Patriotic Front (UPF), the Angolan opposition bloc, complained Thursday that the presidential guard did not allow them to convey their position on the current socio-political situation in the country to the Supreme Court of Angola.

The situation was reported by the general coordinator of the FPU and president of UNITA (the largest opposition party), Adalberto Costa Junior, who criticized what he called the “violent nature” of the Angolan regime.

“What actually happened on Presidente Street (in Cidade Alta in Luanda) [que] we were not allowed to go to the Supreme Court, it is important that citizens know that this is the nature of the regime led by João Lourenço [Presidente de Angola]”, – Adalberto Costa Junior told reporters.

For the UNITA leader, “it is important that the regime reflects the need to reform this violent nature, the nature of non-dialogue, which is not democratic and does not allow citizens the freedom to move normally within their institutions.”

Images circulating on social media show a cordon of vehicles assigned to the presidential guard and related armed personnel blocking the main road to the Supreme Court to prevent the movement of those responsible for the PPU.

The FPU document, presented on Wednesday at a press conference, describes the degradation of the country, stressing that the crisis in Angola has turned the daily life of most Angolans into a “real test”, and those responsible for the bloc announced that this will lead to its emergence this Thursday in state institutions.

A caravan consisting of the leaders of the PPU, namely Adalberto Costa Junior and the deputy coordinators Abel Chivukuvuku, Filomeno Vieira Lopes and Francisco Viana, delivered the first copy of the document to the Protocol of the President of the Republic of Angola.

“We presented the protocol to the president through a barred window in the presidential building, which is incorrect,” Adalberto stressed, noting that the caravan was later not allowed to pass to the Supreme Court headquarters.

“Those who addressed the letter to the Supreme Court were party leaders, the majority of deputies and some members of the Council of the Republic who have a civic position, but this leads to some unnecessary nervousness (…). This Angola needs dialogue, reforms, hope, not hunger,” he criticized.

The same document was also delivered to the headquarters of the Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome (CEAST), where the opposition caravan was received by a priest.