With deep sorrow, the party and state leadership released that Army Corps General Julio Casas Regueiro, Politburo member, Deputy President of Council of State and Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, passed away last Saturday, August 3rd, at 1.20 p.m local time, in Havana as a result of a cardiorespiratory failure.

Julio Casas was born on February 16, 1936, in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba. Casas studied at the Professional School of Commerce of the province, where he assumed several tasks by the Alumni Association and began his revolutionary activities as of the coup of March 10th, 1952. He was arrested twice.

In June, 1957 Casas gave up his job as an accountant in a bank of Santiago de Cuba, since he was being persecuted by henchman of tyranny, and returned to his parents farm, where he contacted members of the July 26 Movement and made his contribution  in various activities until the arrival of the first rebel fighters into the region.

When the "Frank Pais" Second Eastern Front was created in March 1958, Casas joined it under direct orders of his chief, Commander Raúl Castro Ruz. Then, he entered the Column No. 6, when it was created, and participated in many battles and the occupation of the eastern city of Guantanamo on January the first 1959.

After the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Casas worked at the Headquarters of the National Revolutionary Police, whose troops fought in the Bay of Pigs.

From 1961, he held various posts related to Logistics at the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and was promoted to Deputy Minister in 1969. He fulfilled notable tasks at FAR as head of the Eastern Army, Chief of the Air Defense Troops and Revolutionary Air Force, was appointed Minister in substitution for the economy field , first Deputy Minister and finally Minister of the FAR as of February, 2008.

When Cuba's internationalist aid to Ethiopia took place in 1978, Casas was appointed substitute head of the Military Mission in that country.

He attended various military schools, including the "Voroshilov" Academy of General Staff of the former Soviet Union.
Casas was a founder of the Communist Party of Cuba and a delegate to all congresses held, as member of Central Committee from the First Congress. In the Fourth Congress of the Party, he was elected member of the Politburo, a condition that was confirmed at the fifth and sixth conferences.

Since 1981 he was Deputy to the National Assembly of Popular Power, a member of the State Council since 1986 and in 2008 was elected Vice Chairman of the Council of State.

For his merits, he received many awards as well as national and international orders; including the honorary title of Hero of the Republic of Cuba and the Order, granted on April 16, 2001, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs victory.
Army Corps General Julio Casas Regueiro’s behavior was characterized by loyalty to the Party, the Cuban people, the Revolution, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and Army General Raul Castro Ruz.

Due to his high rationality, efficiency and dedication to work, Casas made significant contributions to the strengthening of Defense as well as the process of Business Improvement at the FAR and in the process of drafting and  implementation of the Guidelines for Economic and Social Policy of the Party and Revolution, passed by the Sixth Congress of Party.

According to his will, the remains of comrade Julio Casas Regueiro were cremated and put in the MINFAR Granma Hall until their transfer to the Mausoleum of the Frank País Second Eastern Front, where he receive appropriate military honors.

As of Monday 5, from 8:00 am and 8:00 pm, an official mourning will be declared , our people can pay tribute of recognition and affection to his memory on the first floor of the Sierra Maestra building, headquarters of the ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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