Sierra Cruz |
Ávila González |
Army General Raúl Castro has dismissed Jorge Luis Sierra Cruz (Vice-President, Council of Ministers and Transportation Minister) and Luis Manuel Ávila González (Sugar Minister) in an official note disseminated through Cuban state television, reports EFE.
Sierra Cruz’ dismissal was caused by “errors in the performance of his duties,” while for Ávila González it was his “deficiencies in his work”. Both will be assigned to other tasks per the note.
DG Lusson Batlle
The octogenarian Division General Antonio Enrique Lussón Batlle (80), a Raúlista and former Special Forces Chief, replaces Sierra Cruz as Vice-President of the Council of Ministers. Lussón gives an account of his life in an interview for the book Secretos de Generales published in 1997. He has a long history of incompetence and corruption. Fidel Castro, himself, dismissed him from office but has always ended up being protected by Raúl Castro. Lussón failed miserably having previously held the post as Transportation Minister in 1970.
César Ignacio Arocha (51) is the new Transportation Minister and holds rank in the armed forces.
Orlando Celso García (53) will take over the Sugar Ministry as its new minister.