Raúl Castro

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For the Governor of Arizona, see Raul Hector Castro.

Raúl Castro Ruz (born June 3, 1931) is the second ranking member of the Cuban Council of State. The youngest brother of Cuban President Fidel Castro, he has been appointed to the positions: Vice President of the Council of Ministers, First Vice President of the Council of State, Vice-Secretary of the Politburo and the Central Committe of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), and Maximum General of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force), second to the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro. According to the Cuban Constitution Article 94, the First Vice President of the Council of State, a position presently held by Raúl Castro, is first in line of succession upon the illness or death of the president.

He has been the Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba since 1965 and First Vice-president of the Councils of State and Ministers, and Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, since 1959.

Contents

1 Pre-1959
2 Post-1959
3 Ideology
4 Role in Post-Fidel Cuba
5 See also

Pre-1959

He participated actively in sometimes violent student political actions even before Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship. He was a member of the group which attacked the Moncada Barracks and spent 22 months in prison as a result of this action. During his exile in Mexico, he participated in the preparations of the expedition of the ship Granma, disembarking for Cuba on December 2, 1956. As combatant of the Rebel Army he took part in the campaign of the Sierra Maestra mountain range and in February 27 1958 was made comandante and assigned the mission to cross the old province of Oriente leading a column of guerrillas to open, to the northeast of that territory, the Eastern front "Frank País".

Post-1959

Fidel Castro (left) and Raúl Castro (right).

Raúl Castro Ruz integrated the National Direction of the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations and the United Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba. He is the Second Secretary of the Party's Central Committee since its constitution in October 1965 and Second Committee to the National Assembly of the Popular Power from its creation in 1976.

He has been appointed the Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba since 1965 and First Vice-president of the Councils of State and Ministers, Minister and Maximum General of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, since 1959.

Ideology

Universo Sánchez and some others are believed to have been part of the covert wing of the Cuban Communist Party (Partido Socialista Popular). Former KGB official Mitriokhin has stated he was recruited by KGB officer Nikolai Leonov his trip to Moscow in 1955. (See the Mitriokhin Papers).

Role in Post-Fidel Cuba

In the event Fidel Castro dies before Raúl, Raúl Castro's role in a future government is uncertain.

Article 94 of the Cuban Constitution provides that "In cases of the absence, illness or death of the president of the Council of State, the first vice president assumes the president’s duties." Raúl Castro, as the sitting first vice president, is next in line of succession and it would appear he would become President if Fidel Castro died before him. Also supporting the idea that succession will occur according to the Constitution of Cuba is the fact that Raúl, as commander of the armed forces, would be in the best position to control any attempt at a coup d'etat by the armed forces and to quell other insurrection in the transition of power from Fidel to himself.

Others dispute this notion and postulate that Raúl would not become the President of Cuba. They note that Raúl is himself old and that should he outlive Fidel, his time as President would be brief. This, coupled with the presence of several younger persons in the government capable of assuming the presidency, is cited as a possible reason why Raúl would not become President.

Raúl Castro

Pre-1959

Post-1959

Ideology

Role in Post-Fidel Cuba

See also