Raúl Castro

Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (born June 3, 1931) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 2011 to 2021^[6][7] and former head of state of Cuba. He was also Second Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) from 1965 to 2011, Commander in Chief (Maximum General) of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and is the younger brother of Fidel Castro.

Raúl Castro Ruz
First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
In office 19 April 2011 – 16 April 2021 Acting: 31 July 2006 – 19 April 2011
President	Himself Miguel Díaz-Canel
Deputy	José Ramón Machado
Preceded by	Fidel Castro
Succeeded by	Miguel Díaz-Canel
20th Prime Minister and Commander-in-chief of the Republic of Cuba
In office 24 February 2008 – 19 April 2018 Acting: 31 July 2006 – 24 February 2008
Prime Minister	Himself (as President of the Council of Ministers)
Vice President	José Ramón Machado Miguel Díaz-Canel
Preceded by	Fidel Castro
Succeeded by	Miguel Díaz-Canel
Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba
In office 3 October 1965 – 19 April 2011
Leader	Fidel Castro
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	José Ramón Machado
1st First Vice President of Cuba
In office 2 December 1976 – 24 February 2008
President	Fidel Castro
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	José Ramón Machado
Minister of Defence
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 94) Birán, Cuba
Political party	Popular Socialist Party (Before 1953) 26th of July Movement (1953–1965) Communist Party (1965–present)
Spouse(s)	Vilma Espín ​ ​ (m. 1959; died 2007)​
Children	4, including Mariela and Alejandro
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Cuba
Branch/service	Revolutionary Armed Forces
Years of service	1953–59
Rank	Major General
Unit	26th of July Movement
Battles/wars	Cuban Revolution Cuban Missile Crisis
Awards	Hero of the Republic of Cuba[1] Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise[2] National Order of Mali[3] Quetzal Medal[4] Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith First Degree[5]

On February 24, 2013, Castro announced that his second term would be his final term and that he would not seek re-election in 2018.^[8] He officially stepped down on 19 April 2018.

Between 2014 and 2016, Castro would work with President Barack Obama on improving diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. As a result, the U.S. embargo on Cuba would be lifted and travel/trade restrictions would be lifted as well.

Castro announced at the Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, which began on the 16 April, 2021, that he was stepping down as leader of the Communist Party of Cuba.^[9]