Prominent Revolutionary Combatant Jorge Risquet Dies in Havana

Tuesday, 29 September 2015 14:10

Prominent revolutionary combatant Jorge Risquet died in this capital on Monday morning at age 85, as a result of a long, serious disease.

Born on May 6, 1930, in Havana, he joined the revolutionary youth movement in 1943. He was Cuba's Representative and Head for Latin America in the World Federation of Democratic Youth and carried out an internationalist mission in Guatemala in 1954.

During the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship he was kidnapped, tortured and incarcerated. He joined the Rebel Army in 1958 in the 2nd Frank País East Front.

After the triumph of the Revolution, he held the positions of Head of the Political Department and Head of Operations of the Army in the former Oriente province; Organization Secretary of the Provincial Committee of the United Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba in that province; head of the "Patricio Lumumba" Internationalist Battalion in Congo Brazzaville; Minister of Labor; and Head of the Cuban Civil Internationalist Mission in the People's Republic of Angola between 1975 and 1979.

He headed the Cuban delegation to the four-party negotiations (Cuba-Angola-U.S.A.-South Africa) in 1988.

He was a member of the Central Committee of the Cuban Revolutionary Party since its creation; member of the Secretariat from 1973 to 1990; member of the Politburo from 1980 to 1991, and Deputy to the National assembly of the People's Power from its founding to 1993.

A graduate in Journalism, founder of several publications and the author of numerous articles, he acted as advisor in the process of creation and edition of important works, particularly related to the liberation struggle of African peoples.

His ashes were placed on Tuesday at the Mausoleum of Veterans in the city's Colon Cemetery from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 m. Later, on a date yet to be established, they will be moved to the Mausoleum of the 2nd Frank Pais East Front.