Ricardo Cabrisas

Havana, August 26 (RHC)--Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz heads the Cuban delegation that will attend the funeral of former Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, according to the Angolan Foreign Ministry.

According to the communication, the burial will take place in Luanda, the Angolan capital, this Sunday, August 28, coinciding with the date of birth of the African leader 80 years ago.

The deputy director general of Bilateral Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Angel Villa Hernandez, and the Cuban ambassador to Angola, Esther Armenteros Cardenas, are also part of the island's delegation.

Last August 20, the former president's remains were received in Luanda, coming from Barcelona, Spain, where he passed away last July 8 at 79.

José Eduardo dos Santos ruled Angola for 38 years, from September 1979 to 2017.

On several occasions, he visited Cuba and developed a close friendship with historic leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, for whom he confessed to feeling great admiration.

On the occasion of his death, and given the historic relations he maintained with Cuba, President Miguel Díaz-Canel decreed Official Mourning on July 9.