Ramiro Valdes, one of Fidel Castro's earliest collaborators and a celebrated figure in Cuba's revolutionary history, has died at 94, President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on social media Sunday. No cause of death was provided.
Valdes held the honorary titles "Hero of the Republic" and "Commander of the Revolution," reflecting his decades of service after Castro's rebels seized power in 1959. As a top government official and member of the powerful Political Bureau, he helped shape the ruling party's direction for much of the post-revolution era.
The announcement came via a brief social media post from Diaz-Canel, who did not elaborate on the circumstances. Valdes' passing marks the end of an era for a generation of Cubans who revered him as a symbol of the 1959 uprising.
His death removes a prominent link to the revolution's founding years, as Cuba navigates economic challenges under continued U.S. sanctions. The regime has not yet announced public ceremonies.
Valdes' legacy remains complex internationally, with critics pointing to his role in a government accused of human rights abuses, though at home he was widely admired.