Page 11 - ATD25Febr2016

WORLD NEWS A11
Ramon Castro, Cuban leader’s older brother, dies at age 91
A. RODRIGUEZ
P. HAVEN
Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) — Ramon
Castro, a lifelong rancher
and farmer who bore a
strong physical resem-
blance to younger broth-
er Fidel Castro, has died,
Cuban state media an-
nounced Tuesday. He was
91.
Widely known by his nick-
name “Mongo,” the white-
bearded Ramon Castro
preferred tending crops
and livestock to the revo-
lutionary political life em- that prison was not “a hor-
braced by his younger sib-
lings Fidel and Raul, who
replaced Fidel as Cuba’s
president in February 2008.
Two years older than Fidel,
Ramon was long used to
getting double-takes from
people who insisted he
looked just like his famous
brother.
At times, Ramon was said
to reply that because he
was older, Fidel actually
looked like him.
Ramon, Fidel and Raul
were the second, third
and fourth children of An-
gel Castro, a Spanish-born
rancher, and his second
wife, Lina Ruz. Angel Cas-
tro also had two other chil-
dren from a previous mar-
riage.
The three brothers attend-
ed Roman Catholic schools
in eastern Cuba, where
their teachers complained
about their pranks and
trouble making, prompting
Angel to pull them out of
classes for some time.
Once grown, Fidel and Raul
headed off to Havana for
studies, then the business
of launching a revolution
against dictator Fulgencio
Batista, who seized power
in a 1952 coup.
But Ramon Castro was
content to remain in the
village of Biran in eastern
Cuba, where he helped his
father with the family busi-
Thursday 25 February 2016

ness. In this 2008 photo, Ramon Castro, left, the elder brother of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, speaks with journalists
Nevertheless, Ramon re- as cattleman John Parke Wright IV, of Florida, listens during the 13th Boyeros Cattleman’s Fair in
mained in contact with his Havana, Cuba. Castro, a lifelong rancher and farmer who bore a strong physical resemblance to
siblings. He wrote letters his younger brother, Fidel, died Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, state media announced. He was 91.
to Fidel in prison when he
and Raul and other fol- (AP Photo/Javier Galeano)
lowers were arrested after
their unsuccessful 1953 at- rise to power, Ramon often Ramon founded several Although he wielded little
tack on a military barracks worked as a consultant for state companies, includ- government power, Ra-
that launched their armed the government ministries ing ones that handled the mon nevertheless was a
struggle. Sometimes along of agriculture and sugar. In transportation of sugar founding member of the
with the correspondence, the early 1960s, he oversaw cane and the production Communist Party of Cuba
Ramon sent along a ham sugar production in eastern of oranges. He also was and served as a deputy in
or a box of cigars. Cuba, where he helped in- involved in agricultural re- the country’s parliament,
According to letters from crease output. search. the National Assembly. q
that period, Fidel asked Ra-
mon to assure their parents
rible and shameful idea. ...
When one’s motives are
lofty and great, then it is an
honorable place.”
After Fidel and his follow-
ers established their rebel
stronghold in Cuba’s east-
ern mountains, there was
at least one recorded in-
stance of Fidel visiting the
family ranch, where he
feasted on a turkey that
Ramon had kept frozen for
months in hopes of such a
visit.
Following the 1959 triumph
of the Cuban revolution
and Fidel’s subsequent
Cuba gives well-known dissidents permission to travel
M. WEISSENSTEIN to give citizens the ability to by Cuban immigration offi- visit,” she said. “But I also
Associated Press freely vote for their leaders cials on Sunday and told to think that Cuba’s doing it so
HAVANA (AP) — The Cu- and exercise their rights to report to state offices the that some of us say, ‘OK, if
ban government has loos- free speech and assembly. following day. There, they I can’t travel again, I’m go-
ened travel restrictions on Members of a group of 11 were told that they would ing to stay.” Dissident Jorge
some of the island’s best- dissidents imprisoned dur- be able to travel overseas Olivera, a former state tele-
known dissidents, granting ing the 2003 crackdown once and return to Cuba. vision editor, said he was
them one-time permission known as the Black Spring She said she intended to assessing whether he could
to travel abroad ahead of said Wednesday that of- travel to the United States now accept a yearlong fel-
President Barack Obama’s ficials have told seven of to see family as soon as she lowship at a U.S. university
trip to the island, activists them that they will be free was able. She credited the that he was granted while
said Wednesday. to travel one time as a re- Cuban government deci- under the travel ban. In
Obama has said his March ward for good behavior. sion to Obama’s upcoming Washington, a White House
21-22 trip to Havana is de- Four more-politically active trip but criticized the one- spokesman welcomed the
signed to push the Cuban members of the group re- off nature of the permits decision to let the seven
government to improve main unable to travel, the and the fact that four of the dissidents travel outside
conditions for its people. dissidents said. Activist Mar- more active former Black Cuba, and encouraged
Critics say Obama is re- ta Beatriz Roque said that Spring prisoners remained Cuban officials to allow
warding the Cuban gov- she and six other former under travel bans. “It’s a the same for the other four
ernment despite its refusal prisoners were contacted concession for Obama’s dissidents.q