Former Angolan President, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, dies in Spain

Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, a former president of Angola has died at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

This was disclosed by the Angolan government via a statement issued on Friday.

According to the government, he died at a hospital in Barcelona after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 79.

What Angola is saying about Santos’ demise

“The government presents its deepest feelings of sorrow to the bereaved family. He is a statesman of great historical stature, who led the country through very difficult times.

“He was hospitalised in Spain and placed in intensive care after suffering a cardiac arrest on June 23,” the statement by the government read.

What you should know about Dos Santos

• Dos Santos ruled the Portuguese-speaking, oil-rich state of Angola for 38 years before stepping down in September 2017.
• The former President had mostly lived in Barcelona since stepping down in 2017 and he reportedly had been undergoing treatment there for health problems.
• Dos Santos, who is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, came to power four years after Angola gained independence from Portugal and became enmeshed in the Cold War as a proxy battlefield.
• His rule was allegedly marked by a brutal civil war lasting nearly three decades against US-backed UNITA rebels and a subsequent oil-fuelled boom.