announced the president Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel died Sunday Ramiro Valdes Close to the two brothers Fidel and Raul Castro Founder of the Cuban intelligence service, aged 94.
The head of state’s post on the X platform said: “The physical absence of the revolutionary leader Ramiro Vadlice Menendez saddens us deeply, as if we had lost a father.”
Diaz-Canel added: “Every moment of Commander Ramiro’s life was marked by his absolute loyalty to the rule of Fidel and Raúl, as well as to his comrades in the struggle.”
Ramiro Valdés was one of the few people in Cuba who held the title of “Commander of the Revolution.”
Miguel Diaz-Canel (archive)
In addition to Raul Castro, who recently celebrated his 95th birthday, Valdés is one of the last survivors of a group of 82 fighters who sailed from Mexico to Cuba in November 1956, led by Fidel Castro, to launch the revolution against the regime of Fulgencio Batista.
Valdes was a member of the Cuban Communist Party and its Politburo, served as Minister of the Interior and founded the Cuban State Security Service (G2).
Ramiro Valdes, who always wore his military uniform in his public appearances, devoted the last years of his life to supporting Diaz-Canel, who came to power in 2018, and is considered the first Cuban president from outside the Castro family since the revolution.
Valdes has not made any public appearance since last year.
