Ramiro Valdés, Historic Cuban Revolution Commander, Dies at 94

Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, a pivotal figure in the Cuban Revolution and a long-serving vice prime minister, passed away at the age of 94 in Havana. State media announced his death on Sunday, remembering him as a "historic commander" and a "hero of the Republic of Cuba and of labor."

Valdés's revolutionary career began early. He was part of the Granma expedition and participated in the 1953 attack on the Moncada barracks, a key early action against the regime of Fulgencio Batista. He later fought in the Sierra Maestra mountains alongside Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara. His loyalty to the revolutionary cause earned him widespread respect and admiration.

Throughout his life, Valdés held numerous influential positions. He was instrumental in establishing Cuba's state security apparatus and served twice as Minister of the Interior. During his first tenure, from 1961 to 1968, he oversaw the controversial Military Units to Aid Production (UMAP), agricultural labor camps for young men deemed "unsuitable" for military service.

Even in his nineties, Valdés remained active, serving as vice prime minister. In this role, he supervised critical socio-economic areas, including housing programs, material production, electricity generation, and industrial investments. His death marks the end of an era, as he was one of the last surviving members of the revolution's "historic generation."

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With deep sorrow, the leadership of the Party, the State, and the Government inform our people that in the early hours of this Sunday, June 21, the historic commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, hero of the Republic of Cuba and of labor, who treasures a brilliant and extraordinary record of service to the Homeland, has passed away.