Cuba bids farewell to Ramiro Valdés amid heightened U.S. pressure and sanctions

Cuba is bidding farewell to Ramiro Valdés, a pivotal figure in the island's revolution and a long-serving vice prime minister, who died at 94. His passing marks the end of an era for a leader who held various significant positions over six decades.

Havana witnessed a day of mourning as hundreds gathered to honor Valdés. The initial guard of honor at the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Minfar) included former President Raúl Castro, current President Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the ministers of Interior and Revolutionary Armed Forces. Later, the Minfar opened its doors to military personnel and civilians for a public tribute.

Valdés was a founding member of the State Security Department and the General Directorate of Intelligence. He also served as Minister of the Interior and first deputy minister of the FAR. In his recent years as vice prime minister, he oversaw crucial socio-economic matters, including housing construction, material production, electricity generation, and industrial investments. His public appearances had become infrequent in recent months.

This period of national remembrance is shadowed by renewed pressure from the United States. Washington imposed sanctions on five Cuban state entities and an individual. Among the sanctioned financial institutions are FINADE and Banco Financiero Internacional (BFI), described by Secretary of State Marco Rubio as facilitating "money movement for the regime." Also targeted were logistics firm Almacenes Universales, steel producer Empresa Siderúrgica José Martí, and mineral management company GeoMinera. Annalie Lilliam Rueda Cardero, wife of Alejandro Castro Espín and daughter-in-law of Raúl Castro, was also sanctioned.