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Raul Castro

Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro, July 2012.jpeg
President of Cuba
Assumed office
24 February 2008
Acting: 31 July 2006 – 24 February 2008
Prime Minister Himself (as President of the Council of Ministers)
Vice President José Ramón Machado
(2008–2013)
Miguel Díaz-Canel
(2013–present)
Preceded by Fidel Castro
First Secretary of the Communist Party
Assumed office
19 April 2011
Acting: 31 July 2006 – 19 April 2011
Deputy José Ramón Machado
Preceded by Fidel Castro
First Vice President of the Council of State and Ministers of Cuba
In office
2 December 1976 – 24 February 2008
President Fidel Castro
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by José Ramón Machado
Second Secretary of the Communist Party
In office
3 October 1965 – 19 April 2011
Leader Fidel Castro
Preceded by Position established
Succeeded by José Ramón Machado
Minister of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
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
24 February 2008 – 16 July 2009
Acting: 31 July 2006 – 24 February 2008
Preceded by Fidel Castro
Succeeded by Hosni Mubarak
Personal details
Born Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz
(1931-06-03) 3 June 1931 (age 85)
Birán, Cuba
Political party Popular Socialist Party (before 1953)
26th of July Movement (1953–65)
Communist Party (1965–present)
Spouse(s) Vilma Espín (m. 1959; d. 2007)
Children Deborah
Mariela
Nilsa
Alejandro
Alma mater None
Awards Hero of the Republic of Cuba
Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
National Order of Mali
Quetzal Medal
Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith First Degree
Military service
Allegiance  Cuba
Service/branch Revolutionary Armed Forces
Years of service 1953–59
Rank Comandante en jefe.jpg Comandante
Unit 26th of July Movement
Battles/wars Cuban Revolution

Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (American Spanish: [raˈul moˈðesto ˈkastɾo ˈrus]; born 3 June 1931) is a Cuban politician, who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008. Castro previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008. Castro is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force), and has also been First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) since 2011. Castro is the nation's highest ranking general.

Raúl Castro was a rebel commander during the 1950s. After his brother Fidel Castro took power, Raúl Castro was one of the most important figures in the party, serving as Minister of the Armed Forces for 49 years, from 1959 to 2008 making him the longest serving minister of the armed forces

On 31 July 2006, Raúl Castro was designated the President of the Council of State in a temporary transfer of power, due to Fidel Castro's illness. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, Article 94, the Vice President of the Council of State assumes presidential duties upon the illness or death of the President. Raúl Castro was officially made President by the National Assembly on 24 February 2008, after Fidel Castro, who was still ailing, announced he would not stand for President again on 19 February 2008. Raúl Castro became First Secretary of the Communist Party at its Sixth Congress on 19 April 2011, having previously served as Second Secretary under his brother for 46 years.


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