Chief of Cuba's military businesses, ex-Castro in-law dies
One of the most trusted advisers to former Cuban President Raul Castro and head of the country’s military business division has died at age 62
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Gen. Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, one of the most trusted advisers to former Cuban President Raul Castro and head of the country's military business division, died on Friday at age 62.
The Communist Party and official news media said he died of a cardiopulmonary arrest.
López-Calleja, who was also a former son-in-law of Raul Castro, was serving as executive president of the armed forces Business Administration Group, which includes an extensive array of hotels, shops, tourist agencies and construction firms.
He also was a member of the Communist Party's powerful Political Bureau and a member of the island's parliament.
López-Calleja was a circumspect person who had become gradually more visible in official events as the armed forces businesses came to play a growing role in Cuba's economy.
He was born in the central province of Villa Clara on Jan. 19, 1960, just a year after the revolution led by Fidel Castro and his brother Raul had toppled the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and taken power.
He became a leader in party youth organizations, studied in the Soviet Union, participated in Cuba's African military mission to Angola and later serviced in military counterintelligence. His official biography says he began to lead the military business operation in 1996 and became part of the Communist Party Central Committee in 2011.
He had married — and later was divorced from — Raul Casro's oldest daughter, Débora, and they had a son, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, who is currently the most visible of his grandfather's bodyguards.