Ramiro Valdes, Last of the Granma Expeditionaries, Dies at 94

Born in 1932, Valdes was only 21 when he joined Fidel Castro’s ill-fated 1953 assault on the Moncada barracks. He emerged as a foundational revolutionary, sailing to Cuba aboard the Granma in 1956. Of the 82 men on that voyage, he was one of only 12 to survive the initial insurrection. He served as a deputy commander under Ernesto 'Che' Guevara during the pivotal Battle of Santa Clara, helping secure the collapse of the Batista regime in 1959.

Following the revolution, Valdes occupied the upper echelons of the Communist Party for decades. He held various critical portfolios, including interior minister and vice president, and remained a member of the powerful Political Bureau until 2019. Known for his signature Trotsky-style goatee and enduring loyalty to the one-party state, he maintained his influence long after the transition to the younger generation of leadership. In his final years, he served as deputy prime minister, tasked with managing the island's persistent energy crises and urging citizens to endure ongoing electricity shortages with revolutionary resolve. Diaz-Canel paid tribute to the late commander on social media, describing his loss as a pain akin to the death of a father.