In the collective interview given today to the five national and foreign media outlets (TPA, TV Zimbo, Angop, Expansão newspaper and Portuguese agency), João Lourenço downplayed the creation of the United Patriotic Front (FPU) of the opposition led by the UNITA party, stating that this clearly demonstrates that your party’s main political opponent is worse off compared to previous elections.
The MPLA president, who is also MPLA president, guarantees that his party is prepared and is not afraid to face any opponent in the elections scheduled for this year, and also said that this is also a sign of recognition by the opposition that alone cannot beat the MPLA for that reason, who have the need to coalesce.
“Our main adversary has resorted to a kind of coalition (whether it is civil society or not!) which they are calling the united patriotic front to face the MPLA means to say that it is worse off than in the past”, he said.
João Lourenço distanced himself from any intention to interfere in the choice of the opposition candidate for the next election.
“Just as it happens in a sporting match, in which an opponent asks who should be selected to play, the opposition also knows who should choose, who should compete, who will be their leader and who will be the players”, he stressed.
The president of the republic, who is at the end of his first term, warned that no matter how the political opposition should present itself in the next elections, his party (MPLA) is prepared for the adversary to present itself either alone or in a coalition.
During the interview, the Incumbent of Executive Power also underlined that one of the main axes of his governance was the diversification of the economy and job creation for the youth. Lourenço also made it known that the opposition has misjudged the country’s political and electoral scenario since the holding of the first election in Angola.