Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro | |
|---|---|
Castro in 2015 | |
| First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba | |
| In office 19 April 2011 – 19 April 2021 | |
| President | Himself Miguel Díaz-Canel |
| Prime Minister | Manuel Marrero (2019–2021) |
| Deputy | José Ramón Machado |
| Preceded by | Fidel Castro |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Díaz-Canel |
| 16th President of the Council of State and Ministers of Cuba | |
| In office 24 February 2008 – 19 April 2018 Acting: 31 July 2006 – 24 February 2008 | |
| Vice President | José Ramón Machado Miguel Díaz-Canel |
| Preceded by | Fidel Castro |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Díaz-Canel |
| Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba | |
| In office 3 October 1965 – 19 April 2011 | |
| First secretary | Fidel Castro |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | José Ramón Machado |
| First Vice President of Cuba | |
| In office 2 December 1976 – 24 February 2008 | |
| President | Fidel Castro |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | José Ramón Machado |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 16 February 1959 – 24 February 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Fidel Castro |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Julio Casas Regueiro |
| Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement | |
| In office 16 September 2006 – 16 July 2009 Acting: 16 September 2006 – 24 February 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Fidel Castro |
| Succeeded by | Hosni Mubarak |
| President pro tempore of CELAC | |
| In office 28 January 2013 – 28 January 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Sebastián Piñera |
| Succeeded by | Laura Chinchilla |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz 3 June 1931 Birán, Cuba |
| Political party | 26th of July Movement (1953–1965) Communist Party (1965–present) |
| Spouse |
Vilma Espín
(m. 1959; died 2007) |
| Children | 4, including Mariela and Alejandro |
| Parent(s) | Lina Ruz (mother) Ángel Castro y Argiz (father) |
| Relatives | Fidel Castro (brother) Ramón Castro Ruz (brother) Juanita Castro (sister) |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Republic of Cuba |
| Branch/service | Revolutionary Armed Forces |
| Years of service | 1953–1959 |
| Rank | Comandante en Jefe (as President) General de Ejército[1] |
| Unit | 26th of July Movement |
| Battles/wars | Attack on the Moncada Barracks Cuban Revolution Bay of Pigs Invasion Cuban Missile Crisis |
| Awards | Hero of the Republic of Cuba[2] Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise[3] National Order of Mali[4] Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith First Degree[5] |
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz[a] (/ˈkæstroʊ/ KASS-troh;[6] Latin American Spanish: [raˈul moˈðesto ˈkastɾo ˈrus]; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban retired politician and general who served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the one-party communist state,[7] from 2011 to 2021, and President of Cuba between 2008 and 2018,[b] succeeding his brother Fidel Castro.
One of the military leaders of the Cuban Revolution, Castro served as the minister of the Armed Forces from 1959 to 2008. His ministerial tenure made him the longest-serving minister of the armed forces. Castro was also a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba, the highest decision-making body, from 1965 until 2021.[8]
Because of his brother's illness, Castro became the acting president of the Council of State in a temporary transfer of power from 31 July 2006. Castro was officially made president by the National Assembly on 24 February 2008, after his brother, who was still ailing, announced on 19 February 2008 that he would not stand again. He was re-elected president on 24 February 2013. Shortly thereafter, Castro announced that his second term would be his final term, and that he would not seek re-election in 2018.[9][10] He stepped down from the presidency on 19 April 2018 after his successor, Miguel Díaz-Canel was elected by the National Assembly following parliamentary elections. Castro remained the first secretary of the Communist Party; he was still considered the de facto leader of the country, retaining oversight over the president.[11] Castro announced at the Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, which began on 16 April 2021, that he was retiring.[12] His successor, Miguel Díaz-Canel, was voted in on 19 April.[13]
Castro was also the head of the constitutional reform commission,[14] and continues to have a seat representing Santiago de Cuba's Segundo Frente municipality in the National Assembly.[15]
- ^ "Raul Castro resigns as Communist chief, ending era in Cuba". Associated Press. 20 April 2021.
- ^ Castro, Fidel (2007). Fidel Castro Reader. Ocean Press. pp. 37. ISBN 9781920888886.
- ^ "Kiev Ukraine News Blog". Kiev Ukraine. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ Antonio de la Cova. "Cuba Foreign Relations". Latin American Studies. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ "Orders, Decorations and Medals, Medals of Cuba". Jean Paul Leblanc. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- ^ "Castro". Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
- ^ "Raul Castro to lead Cuba's Communist Party until 2021". France 24. 19 April 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
I confirm to this assembly that Raul Castro, as first secretary of the Communist Party, will lead the decisions about the future of the country,' Diaz-Canel said.
- ^ "Raul Castro retires but Cuban Communist Party emphasizes continuity". Reuters. Reuters. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Peter Orsi (24 February 2013). "Cuba's Raul Castro announces retirement in 5 years". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ^ "Fidel Castro announces retirement". BBC News. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Raul Castro leaving Cuban presidency, not power". Associated Press. 18 April 2018.
The 86-year-old former guerrilla remains head of Cuba's Communist Party, a position that leaves him with broad authority – including much oversight of the man who is replacing him as president.
- ^ "Raúl Castro confirms he is resigning as head of Cuba's Communist party". The Guardian. 16 April 2021.
- ^ "Raul Castro confirms he's retiring, ending long era of Castro leadership in Cuba". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "Cuba ditches aim of building communism from draft constitution". The Guardian. 22 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ "Raúl votes in the Santiago municipality of Segundo Frente". En.granma.cu. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
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