Raúl Castro

Raúl Castro
Name	Raúl Castro
Caption	Castro in 2015
Office	First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
Term start	19 April 2011
Term end	19 April 2021
Predecessor	Fidel Castro
Successor	Miguel Díaz-Canel
Office2	President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers
Term start2	24 February 2008
Term end2	19 April 2018
Predecessor2	Fidel Castro
Successor2	Miguel Díaz-Canel
Office3	Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces
Term start3	16 February 1959
Term end3	24 February 2008
Predecessor3	Office established
Successor3	Julio Casas Regueiro
Birth date	3 June 1931
Birth place	Birán, Oriente Province, Cuba
Party	Communist Party of Cuba
Spouse	Vilma Espín (m. 1959; died 2007)
Allegiance	26th of July Movement, Cuba
Branch	Revolutionary Armed Forces
Rank	General of the Army
Battles	Cuban Revolution, Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis

Raúl Castro. A central figure in modern Cuban history, he served as the longtime Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and succeeded his brother, Fidel Castro, as the President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers in 2008, and later as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. His leadership was marked by cautious economic reforms, a thaw in relations with the United States, and the eventual orchestration of a political transition to a younger generation led by Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Early life and military career

Born in Birán in the former Oriente Province, he was the younger brother of Fidel Castro. He became politically radicalized during his studies at the University of Havana, joining the Young Communist League and later the Socialist Youth. His early activism against the regime of Fulgencio Batista led to his involvement with the 26th of July Movement. Following the failed Moncada Barracks attack in 1953, he was imprisoned on the Isle of Pines alongside his brother and other revolutionaries like Abel Santamaría.

Role in the Cuban Revolution

After release under an amnesty, he traveled to Mexico to help organize the revolutionary expedition. He was a key commander aboard the Granma during the 1956 landing that reignited the armed struggle. During the subsequent guerrilla campaign in the Sierra Maestra, he commanded a separate column and established the "Second Eastern Front Frank País". His forces were instrumental in operations across Oriente Province, and he played a critical role in the decisive Battle of Guisa.

Political career under Fidel Castro

Following the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, he was appointed Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, a post he held for nearly five decades. He oversaw the military's transformation and its central role in Cuban society, notably during the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. As the Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, he was the constitutionally designated successor. He assumed provisional presidential duties in July 2006 when his brother underwent major surgery.

Presidency and leadership of Cuba

He formally became President of the Council of State in February 2008. In 2011, he was elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba during the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba. His administration was characterized by a commitment to collective leadership and institutionalism within the Communist Party of Cuba. He announced in 2013 that he would not seek a new presidential term in 2018, setting the stage for a historic transfer of power.

Domestic and economic policies

His government introduced a series of market-oriented reforms known as the "Lineamientos" (Guidelines) adopted at the 6th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba. Key measures included expanding self-employment, decentralizing agricultural production, and allowing the sale of private property like automobiles and homes. He also oversaw significant changes to the country's migration law, eliminating restrictive exit permits. These policies aimed to update the Cuban economic model while maintaining the state's dominant role.

Foreign relations and international diplomacy

His tenure saw a dramatic shift in relations with the United States. In December 2014, he and President Barack Obama announced the start of the Cuban thaw, leading to the reopening of embassies in Washington, D.C. and Havana in 2015. He hosted visits from Barack Obama, Pope Francis, and other world leaders. He maintained strong alliances with Venezuela under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, and with Russia, while also deepening ties with China and engaging with the European Union. He played a leading role in regional forums like the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America.

Later life and legacy

He stepped down as President of the Council of State in April 2018, succeeded by Miguel Díaz-Canel. He retained the role of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba until April 2021, when Díaz-Canel assumed that post at the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, marking the full transition of power. His legacy is defined by his stewardship of the Cuban Revolution after Fidel Castro, his implementation of controlled economic reforms, and his pivotal role in normalizing relations with the United States during the Obama administration.

Category:1931 births Category:Cuban revolutionaries Category:Presidents of Cuba Category:Communist Party of Cuba politicians