{"id":11804,"date":"2026-06-03T15:01:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11804"},"modified":"2026-06-03T15:01:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T15:01:38","slug":"raul-castro-turns-95-as-cuba-celebrates-enigmatic-figure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11804","title":{"rendered":"Ra\u00fal Castro turns 95 as Cuba celebrates enigmatic figure"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By D\u00c1NICA COTO<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ra\u00fal Castro turned 95 on Wednesday, a landmark birthday for a man still helping lead one of the last communist countries in the world.<\/p>\n

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His name and face became synonymous with the 1959 revolution led by his brother, Fidel Castro. Decades after the triumphant revolution, Fidel Castro stepped down, and Ra\u00fal Castro served as Cuba\u2019s president for 12 years.<\/p>\n

He formally retired from politics in April 2021 but still serves as general of Cuba\u2019s Revolutionary Armed Forces, has a seat in the National Assembly and is considered to play a central role in rising tensions with the U.S., which recently indicted him.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at the life of a man known as the \u201chero of the Republic of Cuba.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ra\u00fal Castro became involved in politics early<\/h4>\n

Castro was born on June 3, 1931, in the village of Bir\u00e1n in eastern Cuba. He was the fourth of seven children; his mother was Cuban and his father Spanish.<\/p>\n

As a child, he attended school in Santiago de Cuba but later moved to Havana, where he began studying law at the university and became deeply involved in student politics, opposing the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.<\/p>\n

By 1953, he was part of a group that attacked military barracks in Santiago de Cuba as part of a failed effort to overthrow Batista. He was charged, jailed and later released, fleeing to Mexico, where he joined the guerrilla group that would soon unseat Batista.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

After a victorious revolution in 1959, Castro was appointed minister of Cuba\u2019s Revolutionary Armed Forces and oversaw battles in Africa and Latin America that rankled some U.S. Republicans.<\/p>\n

Many Cubans, including Mar\u00eda Cristina Barrio Ramos, a 62-year-old teacher who lives in Havana, praised him for his actions.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe gave us everything so that we could be free,\u201d she said. \u201cWe owe our freedom and dignity to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

In October 1965, Ra\u00fal Castro became the second secretary of the Central Committee of Cuba\u2019s Communist Party. At the time, Fidel Castro lauded him in a speech.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt is a privilege for me that, in addition to being an extraordinary revolutionary figure, he is a brother,\u201d Castro said as his sibling stood up and smiled as the crowd around him applauded.<\/p>\n

Fidel Castro was known for praising his brother: \u201cEveryone who gets to know him and become close to him realizes his humanism, his great character, and his feelings; they are surprised by the image of Ra\u00fal as belligerent, aggressive and harsh, when they see the feelings of friendship, affection, and love he is capable of having for people. And he has been a great mentor and a great educator.\u201d<\/p>\n

Castro rises to power after brother\u2019s health worsens<\/h4>\n

In 2006, Fidel Castro\u2019s health began to decline, and Ra\u00fal Castro was temporarily handed power in late July of that year until Cuba\u2019s National Assembly elected him as president in February 2008.<\/p>\n

In the years that followed, Castro proved himself to be more liberal than his brother, allowing private enterprises to operate in Cuba while former U.S. President Barack Obama lifted restrictions on remittances and family travel, and allowed U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba under certain conditions.<\/p>\n

By 2015, the U.S. and Cuba restored diplomatic relations and reopened embassies. A year later, Obama traveled to Cuba to meet with Castro. That same year, commercial flights between the two countries restarted.<\/p>\n

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During a historic 2016 press conference in Havana, Castro famously tried to raise Obama\u2019s left arm, whose hand went limp in an image that went viral.<\/p>\n

Under Castro, Cuba also entered negotiations with Russia\u2019s government in June 2014 that led to the cancellation of 90% of a multibillion-dollar debt dating from the time of the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Ra\u00fal Castro left the presidency in the hands of Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel, marking the first time in decades that a person without \u201cCastro\u201d as their last name took control of the government.<\/p>\n

In April 2021, Castro announced he would not seek another political position. Since then, he has made only sporadic public appearances.<\/p>\n

Castro retires but remains a high-profile figure<\/h4>\n

Ever since officially retiring from politics, Ra\u00fal Castro has appeared in public only sporadically, but he is believed to still wield power behind the scenes even as he leads a discreet life.<\/p>\n

His grandson and bodyguard, Ra\u00fal Guillermo Rodr\u00edguez Castro, met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of a Caribbean summit earlier this year. Since then, Cuban and U.S. officials have confirmed talks, but tensions between the two countries remain high.<\/p>\n

Ra\u00fal Castro was last seen at a May 1 rally that drew tens of thousands of Cubans. He was dressed, as usual, in olive green military garb and stood at the side of D\u00edaz-Canel. Behind him was Castro\u2019s grandson.<\/p>\n

Almost three weeks later, the U.S. government indicted Ra\u00fal Castro in the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles over Cuban waters. He faces charges including murder and destruction of an airplane.<\/p>\n

While the government and its supporters have condemned the indictment, Ra\u00fal Castro has remained mum.<\/p>\n

As his birthday approached, social media was flooded with the hashtag #Ra\u00falesRa\u00fal, a political figure who has long been adverse to birthdays, monuments and statues, just like his brother.<\/p>\n

The Cuban Embassy in the U.S. noted on X: \u201cNot many people have the privilege, the health, the stoicism \u2014 and if you like, you can also add: that quintessentially Cuban stubbornness \u2014 to reach the age of 95.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Cuba\u2019s Communist Party posted several videos Tuesday on X of Cubans praising Castro.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo talk about Cuba, you have to talk about Ra\u00fal,\u201d said Digna Guerra, director of the island\u2019s national choir. \u201cHe represents Cuban identity, he represents the Cuban people, he represents the revolution, which for us has immense significance. \u2026 Thank you for existing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Associated Press videographer Ariel Fern\u00e1ndez contributed.<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow AP\u2019s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/latin-america<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Oil prices climb back toward $100, but US stocks hang near their records<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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