In a notable absence, the nonagenarian General Raúl Castro did not appear this time; instead, his grandson Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, widely known as El Cangrejo, stood alongside the Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel during the funeral of two soldiers who died in Venezuela.
The event was held on Friday afternoon at the Firefighters' Monument in Havana's Colón Cemetery, reported by state-run media.
The fallen soldiers included Colonels Humberto Alfonso Roca Sánchez and Lázaro Evelio Rodríguez Rodríguez, Lieutenant Colonel Rodney Izquierdo Valdés, and Captain Yorlenis Revé Cusa.
Although Raúl Castro was not present, he sent a floral tribute, and Livan Izquierdo Alonso, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Havana, read the eulogy for the deceased.
As detailed by the Cuban News Agency (ACN), the ceremony concluded with ceremonial gunfire and a simple homage by the Cuban president, accompanied by the families and colleagues from the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Interior Ministry, as well as the general public.
Despite his absence at the funeral, Raúl Castro was seen the previous day at José Martí International Airport, dressed in austere olive-green military fatigues and sporting sneakers, as he welcomed the remains.
Beyond mourning the loss of 32 military personnel in Venezuela, the event served as a symbolic show of discipline and hierarchy within the regime.
Raúl Castro, Miguel Díaz-Canel, José Ramón Machado Ventura, along with other high-ranking officials from the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), were all seen donning the same type of uniform: a closed jacket, campaign cap, and visible epaulettes with military ranks embroidered in black, yet notably devoid of medals or honors.
Last December, it emerged that El Cangrejo had made at least 25 trips to Panama between 2024 and 2025 in a private jet linked to the Cuban military elite.
Documents obtained by Martí Noticias, in collaboration with Panama's La Prensa newspaper and the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, revealed that the flights were made on a Dassault Falcon 900 EX, which had its registration number changed from a Venezuelan to a San Marino identity to complicate international tracking, according to investigative journalism sources.
Rodríguez Castro, the son of the late General Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja—former head of the military conglomerate GAESA—and Débora Castro Espín, Raúl Castro's eldest daughter, has been identified in official events as part of his grandfather's personal security team, the man believed to still wield real power in Cuba.
Key Details about Cuban Military Ceremonies and Leadership
Who accompanied Díaz-Canel at the funeral for the fallen soldiers?
Díaz-Canel was accompanied by Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, also known as El Cangrejo, during the ceremony for the soldiers who died in Venezuela.
What was the significance of the uniform worn by Cuban leaders at the event?
The uniform—a closed jacket, campaign cap, and epaulettes without medals—symbolized discipline and hierarchy within the Cuban regime.
What is known about El Cangrejo's travel activities?
El Cangrejo reportedly made at least 25 trips to Panama in a private jet linked to the Cuban military elite, using an aircraft with modified registration to evade international tracking.