The new President of Angola, João Lourenço, did not mention Portugal in his inaugural speech in which he noted the country’s "principal partners" and welcomed others who "respected Angola’s national sovereignty."
The new head of state is well aware that Portugal is the main market for Angolan imports and has set out to increase the tension between the two governments by ignoring Portugal's commercial importance.
João Lourenço’s snub was delivered in Luanda today at his inauguration at which the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, was the only European head of state present.
"Angola will give priority to important partners such as the USA, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Federative Republic of Brazil, India, Japan, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, South Korea and other partners no less important, as long as they respect our sovereignty," said João Lourenço, in a clear reference to the continuing harrying of Angola’s political criminal class and increasing efforts to bring them to court in Portugal.
One such case is that of the Angolan politician, Manuel Vicente, (see link below) wanted in Portugal to answer accusations that he bribed a magistrate to drop two investigations against him in Portugal.
Vicente, who was the president of Angolan national oil company Sonangol at the time of the alleged crimes, is accused of bribery, money laundering and document falsification, the public prosecutor's office claims. Vicente has declined to visit Portugal, wishing to avoid the embarrassment of a trial.
Lourenço continued, "We must continue to strive to maintain relations of friendship and cooperation with all peoples of the world, based on the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and reciprocity of advantages, operating with all countries to safeguard peace, justice and of the progress of mankind."
"Angola must therefore maintain its role as an important actor in maintaining peace in the subregion, acting firmly in the organisations of which it is a part," said the new president, adding that the relationship with the other Portuguese-speaking African countries "will always be present in the options" of the Angolan Government.
João Lourenço, 63, who today was formally inaugurated as the third President of the Republic of Angola since independence in November 1975, fought against the Portuguese in the Angolan War of Independence and fought as a member of the MPLA in the Angolan Civil War.
In 1978, Lourenço travelled to the Soviet Union and studied at the Lenin Higher Academy, where he furthered his military training and completed a master's degree in Historical Sciences. He returned to Angola in 1982.
Now a general-in-reserve, Lourenço is Angola’s top man, succeeding Eduardo dos Santos, who had held uninterrupted power since 1979 and who, during his reign, has siphoned off billions from Angola’s oil revenues.
Lourenço’s snubbing of Portugal, in front of Portugal’s president, was a deliberate act of diplomatic aggression that serves little purpose but to set the scene for future conflict between Angola and its former occupier.
See also: 'Angolan Vice President to be tried for corruption in Portugal'
