Relative Of Fidel And Raul Castro Could Be Cuba's Next President After Díaz-Canel Era: Report

A relative of Fidel and Raúl Castro has emerged as a potential contender to lead Cuba after President Miguel Díaz-Canel completes his mandated two terms in 2028, according to a report by Spanish outlet ABC.

Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, a vice prime minister in the current administration and great-nephew of the Castro brothers, was appointed in December as a deputy to Cuba's National Assembly of People's Power, a move that satisfies the sole formal requirement to be eligible for the presidency. Under Cuba's system, the president is chosen by the National Assembly from among its members.

Pérez-Oliva Fraga, 54, is the son of Mirsa Fraga Castro and grandson of Ángela Castro, the elder sister of Fidel and Raúl Castro. He has risen rapidly within the government, largely through posts linked to foreign trade and investment, as ABC points out. In early 2024 he was named vice minister of foreign trade, became minister months later following the death of Ricardo Cabrisas, and was promoted to vice prime minister in October, marking his third advancement in less than two years.

His career has been closely tied to GAESA, the military-run business conglomerate controlled by the Castro family that dominates much of Cuba's economy. His ascent accelerated after the death in 2022 of Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, a former son-in-law of Raúl Castro who oversaw the group.

The appointment comes as Cuba navigates a succession process shaped by a constitutional reform approved last year that removed the age cap for first-term presidents. Other frequently cited figures include Roberto Morales Ojeda, a senior Communist Party official, and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, a former tourism minister with military ties.

The political maneuvering unfolds amid a severe economic crisis and heightened tensions with the United States. Díaz-Canel has, however, denied that Havana is holding talks with Washington beyond limited migration issues, responding to comments by President Donald Trump suggesting dialogue between the two countries.

"Cuba has always been willing to hold serious and responsible talks ... on the basis of sovereign equality," Díaz-Canel wrote on social media, while rejecting what he described as pressure and economic coercion.

Cuba is facing its worst economic conditions in decades. According to a recent poll cited by U.S. media, more than three-quarters of Cubans say they intend to leave the country, while millions have already emigrated since 2020 amid food shortages, blackouts and rising poverty.

Originally published on Latin Times