The senior official served for decades as the main “turnings” of the island’s external box.
Miami, United States. – Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice prime minister of the Cuban regime, died on Tuesday at age 88, “victim of a painful disease,” according to reported The Site of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC).
According to the necrological note of the PCC, Cabrisas “directed several ministries of the economic area, represented Cuba in the International Arena, co -presided the intergovernmental commissions for economic and financial relations with various countries, he was a member of the central committee of the party and deputy to the National Assembly of Popular Power.”
The note emphasizes that “he enjoyed the full confidence of Fidel, Raúl and the direction of the party, the State and the Government”, and that it was distinguished as a hero from the work of the Republic of Cuba.
On Facebookthe Cuban ruler, Miguel Díaz-Canel, described as “very sad news for Cuba” the death of Cabrisas and said that it was “an exemplary man who dedicated his entire life to the revolution”, in addition to sending condolences to his family and friends.
Beyond positions and decorations, Cabrisas served for decades as the main “turning out” of the island’s external box: it led debt negotiations and opened or supported support lines with political allies, functions that have been essential for the financial survival of the Cuban state apparatus.
In 2015, Cuba reached with the Paris club a historical agreement that conded 8,500 million of the 11,100 million dollars in debts in default since 1986, with restructured payments until 2033 (after the non -payment associated with the pandemic, Havana tried to save that pact with new understandings). Cabrisas It was identified then as the key negotiator.
Already in May 2024, in full crisis of shortages and blackouts, the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel replaced him as Minister of Foreign Trade, although he kept him as vice prime minister, which ratified his weight as a political-economic operator of confidence in the cabinet.
Cabrisas co -presided over the intergovernmental commissions with Russia and China for years, spaces from which strategic impact projects and credits were announced. In April of this year, the official Cuban press He reviewed The XXII Session of the Russian-Cuban Intergovernmental Commission in Havana, where there was talk of investments and the commercial operation in the Jaruco Boca refinery to reduce the dependence on fuel imports.
The PCC portal itself Document His repeated role at the head of these commissions with senior Russian officials and confirms his function of financial and commercial hinge with political allies of the island.
According to Your file at the official site of the National AssemblyCabrisas was born on January 21, 1937 and was Vice Prime Minister since 2019. He was previously vice president of the Council of Ministers (2008-2019), Minister of Economy and Planning (2016-2018) and held responsibilities such as Vice Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade between 1980 and 2000. Also presided over the Cuban part of the Intergovernmental Commissions (for economic and financial relations with various countries).
In political terms, its role was not only technical: debt restructuring, credits and agreements with Russia and China have provided liquidity, supplies and margin of maneuver to a unique party state that crosses “an unprecedented social and economic crisis”, with severe shortcomings of food, fuel, electricity and medicines, as described Reuters When contextualizing the ministerial changes of 2024. In that scheme, Cabrisas operated as a guarantor of the last instance of the external financing of the system.
