Last of the rebels: Ramiro Valdes, Che Guevara’s deputy and Cuba’s spy chief, dies at 94

Havana: Ramiro Valdes, the architect of Cuba’s powerful intelligence network and among the final surviving commanders of the Fidel Castro era, has passed away at 94, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on Sunday.

Expressing his grief on the social media platform X, Diaz-Canel stated, "The physical disappearance of the commander of the revolution Ramiro Valdes Menendez causes me deep sadness, like that of a father."

Alongside Raul Castro, Valdes was one of the remaining figures from the historic 1956 Granma expedition, in which a band of rebels journeyed from Mexican exile to launch an insurgency against Fulgencio Batista, the US-supported dictator. That operation ignited a two-year guerrilla campaign that ultimately overthrew Batista and established a socialist state that has endured for more than sixty years.

During the conflict, Valdes operated as the deputy commander under Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Following the revolution, he maintained a prominent presence within the administrations of both Fidel and Raul Castro, holding the office of interior minister twice and serving a term as vice president.

"Every moment of commander Ramiro's life was characterised by his absolute loyalty to the governments of Fidel and Raul and to his struggle companions," Diaz-Canel remarked during his tribute.

A foundational figure in the Cuban Communist Party, Valdes utilized his tenure as interior minister during the 1960s to establish the G2, Cuba’s deeply feared state security agency. Reflecting on the agency's reach during a rare 2018 interview on state television, the characteristically quiet politician remarked, "There was no one who moved without security knowing it, and that allowed us to infiltrate counter-revolutionary organisations."

According to Michael Shifter, an analyst with the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, Valdes managed "the toughest phase of the post-1959 confrontation" between the nascent Communist leadership and armed, CIA-backed anti-communist factions.

Valdes, born to an impoverished family in Artemisa province on April 28, 1932, was distinctively known for his trademark green military uniform and white goatee.

Later in his career, in February 2010, he traveled to Venezuela for an extended stay. While official accounts stated he was advising Havana's close economic ally on energy policies, political opposition groups in Venezuela alleged he was overseeing a covert intelligence initiative. Throughout the administrations of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro, Caracas supplied Cuba with heavily discounted oil in exchange for the services of Cuban security agents and personal bodyguards.

Recognised for his foundational role in the uprising, Valdes was officially designated a "Hero of the Republic”. He had remained out of the public eye since last year.

AFP