ANGOLA: President Dos Santos Surprise Departure to

UNCLAS LUANDA 000357

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/S DMOZENA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV AO
SUBJECT: ANGOLA: President Dos Santos Surprise Departure to
Brazil


1. (SBU) Summary: Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos
unexpectedly left Luanda on Sunday, April 9, 2006, for
Brazil for a two week visit, billed as vacation. Rumors
have begun to fly about Luanda that he is very ill and has
returned to Brazil for medical treatment. End Summary.


2. (SBU) The Office of the President officially announced on
April 10, 2006, that Angolan President, Jose Eduardo dos
Santos began a two week vacation on April 9, 2006, which
would be spent in Angola and in Brazil. However, the press
release also announced that dos Santos had departed for
Brazil on that same day. Dos Santos owns a large farm in
the Northeast of Brazil, but he has reportedly traveled to
Sao Paulo. Most Angolans believe that dos Santos is
suffering from prostate cancer, though it has never been
officially announced. However, given the immediacy of this
return trip to Brazil, where dos Santos was treated at a
hospital in Rio de Janeiro just over two weeks ago, rumors
are spreading that he is ill with something much more
serious than prostate cancer. Most believe that he returned
to Angola to prove that he is healthy and to receive
Portuguese Prime Minister Socrates. (Note: The official
press release for dos Santos' March 22 Rio hospital stay
named an allergic reaction to iodine as the cause. End
Note.)


3. (U) The press release announcing dos Santos' trip also
stated that in accordance with Angola's Constitution,
Roberto de Almeida, President of the National Assembly will
serve as Acting President in dos Santos' absence.


4. (SBU) There is also some speculation that the house
cleaning started with the arrest of former Intelligence
service chief Miala will continue in dos Santos' absence.
EFIRD