Presidential candidate Ana Gomes used her Twitter account this Friday afternoon to “explain that she regrets the tragedy” of death of Congolese businessman Sindika Dokolo, husband of Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, acknowledging that a comment she made the day before, precisely on the same social network, “deserves disapproval from many people”.
I see that this comment of mine, as soon as I heard the news of the death of Sindika Dokolo, deserves disapproval from many people. I must explain that I am sorry for the tragedy. https://t.co/yEO3JAY8nP
– Ana Gomes (@AnaMartinsGomes) October 30, 2020
On Thursday night, the former Socialist MEP shared a tweet from another person, who in turn shared news about the death of Sindika Dokolo, who would have succumbed to an embolism while diving in Dubai, adding the following comment: “Sindika Dokolo died, drowned in the sea. Died offshore, therefore. Ironic.” To this, Ana Gomes added, in turn, referring to the cause of death: “Strange, very strange …”
It was not long before the presidential candidate was criticized for engaging in conspiracy theories, with most reactions to tweet to be very negative. “I feel ashamed of others for having this lady as a candidate for the presidency of my country. Get a sense of it! ”,“ Have respect for family and friends in a painful situation for once ”,“ This that insinuates would never be done by a statesman or someone with responsibilities ”and“ shows no stature or backbone ”were some of the more violent comments, although some followers of the Twitter account have praised the frontality of a former MEP, who has long been engaged in denouncing Isabel dos Santos’ business.
In fact, hours before the death of Sindika Dokolo was revealed, the presidential candidate had shared a tweet from Transparency International that indicated the LuandaLeaks scandal as a demonstration that the Angolan businesswoman, daughter of ex-president José Eduardo dos Santos, made her fortune thanks to deals facilitated by corruption. “Lawyers, bankers, consultants, etc., who help thieves and thieves like Isabel dos Santos to steal, to launder the product of theft, parking it and investing it abroad and in the country, paying the minimum of taxes wherever that is, they are called as: thieves or saints ??? ” And then she was also criticized for the way she qualified Isabel dos Santos on the day her husband died.
The conflict between Ana Gomes and Isabel dos Santos passed from public opinion to the courts when the businesswoman filed a precautionary measure so that the ex-MEP erased a publication from Twitter in which she defended that the Angolan was heavily indebted “because, when settling the debts, ‘wash it off”. The current presidential candidate was right, considering that she did not exceed the limits of freedom of expression.
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