Angola's Dos Santos, one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, dies in Spain

File picture dated 19 August 2017 of former Angola President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos (L) talking with the Angola President Joao Lourenço, during a rally in Luanda, Angola. Jose Eduardo dos Santos, aged 79 years old, died on 8 July 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. LUSA - MANUEL DE ALMEIDA

Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Angola with an iron fist for 38 years, died on Friday at a hospital in Barcelona after suffering cardiac arrest, the government said. He was 79.

With "great pain and consternation", the Angolan government said dos Santos died at 11:10 am (1010 GMT) at the Teknon Medical Centre.