Movie stars paraded in red carpets porting their fluttering low-cut dresses, actors in tuxedos and semi-naked or semi-dressed models, depending on perspective. Yachts bobbing in the blue sea, fireworks illuminating the bay, jewellery and some movies, mostly sleepy. This is the usual Cannes, the greatest symbol of the French joie-de-vivre.

For some time now, the décor of Cannes has been added with a few more pieces: the children of the former president of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, entitled as the richest people in Africa, but belonging to one of the poorest African countries.

They make diamonds rain. Not from the sky, but from the news pages and the jet-set magazines.

The origin of the diamonds is one: the couple Isabel dos Santos & Sindika Dokolo.

Sindika, married to the daughter of the former president, bought Angola's largest diamond. Kim Kardashian admires the diamond in Cannes. Young and slender models stroll with the diamonds of the "De Grisogono" (Swiss chic jewellery belonging to the couple through the usual offshore).

The "princess" Isabel walks through Cannes and goes to "Eden Roc`s" party to see her diamonds in action. Only glamor and diamonds. Cannes, cinema, jewellery, models, beauty, international stars and less stars. Everything is bathed with the diamonds of the Dos Santos family. It seems all very beautiful, very bright, very cool. Chic Europe blesses the Dos Santos diamonds presented by the Swiss brand.

Even so, Isabel was overcome in dismay by Danilo, her young half-brother, who burst through Cannes in the good manner of his compadre Teodorin Obiang, son of the president of the Equatorial Guinean, an Angolan ally, now sentenced by a Paris court  to three years in prison due to embezzlement and corruption.

Danilo bought at a charity auction a watch for 500 thousand US dollars (USD). Apparently, it is intended for a foundation called "amfAR". This Foundation is a non-governmental organization dedicated to fighting AIDS, founded among others by the American actress Elizabeth Taylor. It is presided by the world-famous Sharon Stone.

The examples of Isabel dos Santos and Danilo are a demonstration that the lack of virtue kills any pretension of seriousness that the regime of Jose Eduardo dos Santos has had.

The rains of diamonds or the purchases of objects by vanity put in question the own regime: it cannot treat the children of the Paediatric Hospital of Luanda but manages to supply millions to the children of the then president.”

Foreword 7

Presentation 11

1. Historical Introduction 15

Historical Forgery of 1992 18

Military victory as founding act of the new Angola 20

2. Current situation in Angola 23

Political obstacles to diversification 25

Exchange-rate problem 27

War and economic backwardness 32

Absence of the law and the instrumentalization of the State 34

Failure to fully implement the 2010 Constitution 35

Imperial presidency 37

Servility of the judiciary 39

Bad European examples: absolutism and nepotism 41

Brief Conclusions on the current situation in Angola 42

3. Corruption 45

Angola's AG inaction against corruption 48

First group of crimes - BESA 49

Second group of crimes: Portmill 49

Appeal to the International Criminal Court 51

Case of Isabel dos Santos 53

Origin of the fortune of Isabel dos Santos 53

Purchase of BPI 58

Bizarre GALP business 63

Isabel dos Santos, SONANGOL, Vicente and Socrates 67

The collapse of the "empire" of Isabel dos Santos 68

Isabel dos Santos in Portugal 77

Privatization of sovereignty by corrupt oligarchy: the case of

Manuel Vicente 80

Proceedings against Manuel Vicente 81

"Privatization" of sovereignty 82

Portugal and the fight Isabel versus Vicente 89

4. In search of the rule of law 95

Sugrue versus Andrade Case 97

Independent University of Angola 102

Angola can be a rule of law 105

Accession to African international courts 107

Agreement with the UN to combat impunity 110

5. João Lourenço`s mystery 113

Reasons for the departure of José Eduardo dos Santos 113

Strategy of José Eduardo dos Santos and João Lourenço 115

João Lourenço's Business 118

6. Future of Angola 123

"New" Marcelo Caetano? 123

João Lourenço as Xi Jinping 125

SONANGOL at risk 127

7. Short note to end 133

Limitation of Liability 134

Bibliography 135

Rui Verde was born in 1966. He holds a doctorate in law (Ph.D.) from the University of Newcastle, England, where he taught.

For many years he was professor of law and university manager in Portugal, Angola and Brazil. He has written several books on philosophy of law, the emergence of the judiciary, Angola and political-judicial issues.

In Angola, he is Legal Advisor to MakaAngola, Angolan entity for the defence of human rights, democracy and against corruption directed by Rafael Marques. Formerly, was one of the founders of the Independent University of Angola, of which he was formally vice president between 2004-2006.

He is now a scholar in England and member of the working group organized in the University of Oxford and the LSE which studies the new normative politics in Africa.

Commentator on African issues for Deutsche Welle and Radio-France International.

International consultant working with North American and British institutions.

Has several books published, among which:

“O Processo 95 385. Como Sócrates e o Poder Político destruíram uma universidade”, Leya, 2011.

“Helicópteros com Dinheiro. Sair do Euro, da Crise e Mudar o Estado” Chiado Editora, 2012.

“Angola e Dinheiro” RCP Edições, 2013 (4 edições).

“Os Juízes: O Novo Poder”, RCP Edições,2015

“Os Três Magníficos. Sócrates, Lula e José Eduardo dos Santos. Vidas e Negócios Paralelos” RCP Edições,2016.