Written by: Mohamed Ragab
The opposition leader praised Angola Adalberto Costa Junior welcomed the message from Pope Leo XIV, describing it as “powerful” and reflecting clear support for the Angolan people, during the Pope’s official visit to the country.
colonial plunder
During the first day of the visit, Pope Leo addressed the repercussions of colonial plunder, calling for Authorities Angola, including President Joao Lourenço, to abandon economic policies based on the excessive extraction of natural resources.
The Pope stressed in his remarks that this approach has caused “suffering, deaths, and social and environmental disasters.”.
Reference to the civil war
The Pope also touched on the 27-year civil war in Angola, which claimed the lives of more than half a million people, stressing the importance of dialogue and addressing social and economic crises.
Costa Junior, the leader of the UNITA party, considered that the speech comprehensively addressed the political, economic and humanitarian challenges facing the country.
Solidarity with the flood victims
The opposition leader also expressed his appreciation for the Pope's solidarity with the victims of the floods in Benguela province, which have killed about 50 people since the beginning of April as a result of heavy rains that hit the coastal region.
On the second day of the visit, Pope Leo renewed his messages of hope and solidarity during a mass held outside the capital, Luanda, attended by nearly 100,000 people, in a scene that reflected the extent of popular engagement with the papal visit.
