Politburo

New defense minister named (Updated)

November 8, 2011

Cuban state media announced that the Council of State has named Army General Raúl Castro’s loyal acolyte Army Corps General Leopoldo ‘Polo’ Cintra Frías (70) as the country’s new defense minster. ACG Cintra was named in 2008 deputy defense minster (vice-ministro primero) and was the commander of the all important Western Army (1986-2008) that protects the capital, Havana. Army Corps General Alvaro [...]

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Senior Chinese military official to visit Cuba

October 23, 2011

Via Xinhuanet: Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, General Guo Boxiong left Beijing today to pay official goodwill visits to Cuba, Colombia and Peru. Guo was invited by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), Colombia’s Defense Ministry and Peru’s Defense Ministry. Guo will meet state and military leaders and visit the armed forces and [...]

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Raul’s son as next defense minister?

September 5, 2011

Yoani Sanchez tweeted today: A friend fears that the next Cuban defense minister will be Alejandro Castro Espin; in January he’ll go to the Politburo and the dynastic succession guaranteed. Alejandro Castro Espín is a colonel in the Interior Ministry and along with Senen ‘Senénsito’ Casas Regueiro (son of the late Division General Senén Casas [...]

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Tropical stratocracy

April 20, 2011

Random House Dictionary (2011) defines stratocracy as government by the military. Key military officers control the state security apparatus that vigilantly guards over the Cuban regime. The government’s economic lifeline pulses through the administration of income generating businesses under the control of a military officers. Cuba’s armed forces, through its active and retired military officers, are well [...]

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Health minister replaced

July 22, 2010

The Cuban Council of State, at the suggestion of its president, agreed to relieve José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera as Public Health Minister and promote in his place, Roberto Morales Ojeda (present Public Health First Vice-Minister). Balaguer Cabrera, in accordance of the Politburo, will be reincorporated in the work of the Cuban Communist Party’s Central Committee. [Radio [...]

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A Cuban military “comeback”?

July 5, 2010

George Mason University’s History News Network has an interesting interview with Daniel Masterson, History Professor at the United Stated Naval Academy, about the Cuban Embargo, South American security, and teaching America’s “Officers-In-Training”: Cuba has what I call a “septocracy”—an oligarchy of 70-year-olds. It is similar to China in this regard. When Raul Castro came to power, [...]

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