An investigation by Martí Noticias and Mario J. Pentón, drawing on classified information from within Cuba, identifies Senén Casas Más as a pivotal figure in the inner circle of Alejandro Castro Espín, the son of Raúl Castro and former head of the National Defense and Security Council. Casas Más is reported to have access to diplomatic passports from the Ministry of the Interior and a record of numerous clandestine foreign missions.
Researcher Luis Domínguez from the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba, who also reviewed the classified documents, elaborated on Casas Más's activities: "Backed by diplomatic passports from the Ministry of the Interior, Casas Más has embarked on over 40 missions abroad, directly accompanying Alejandro Castro Espín to strategic locations such as Russia, China, Panama, and France."
Despite his virtually invisible public presence, Casas Más's integration into the heart of Cuban power is no accident, as his background ties him to the historical military elite.
The Legacy of a Military Family
He is the son of the late Major General Senén Casas Regueiro, a fighter from the II Frente Oriental Frank País, former Chief of the General Staff of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), and Minister of Transportation until his death in 1996. His uncle, General of the Army Corps Julio Casas Regueiro, succeeded Raúl Castro as Minister of the FAR in 2008 and is recognized as the chief architect of GAESA, the opaque military-economic conglomerate controlling the primary financial assets of the Armed Forces.
Beyond Castro Espín: A Network of Influence
According to Domínguez, Casas Más's operations extend beyond his connection to Castro Espín: "He hasn't just accompanied the powerful Alejandro Castro Espín. He is also surrounded by other high-ranking counterintelligence officials and figures of the regime's institutional image, such as Major Alaim Peña Santiesteban or Juan Francisco Arias Fernández, former deputy advisor of the Defense and Security Commission."
Colonel Juan Francisco Arias Fernández, a military strategist and cybersecurity analyst, is reported to have joined Casas Más on nearly 30 official foreign missions, according to investigative sources.
A Controversial Marriage with Political Ties
The latest and most intriguing aspect of this case is Casas Más's marriage to Spanish activist Ana Hurtado Martínez, a known public advocate for the Cuban regime and collaborator with official media outlets. Hurtado announced the wedding in April 2025, initially withholding her husband's identity, though the enigmatic union had already sparked questions regarding her connections to Havana's power structure.
The investigation indicates that her presence on the island is more than that of a mere foreign sympathizer: "Ana Hurtado has not only formally begun the process to establish permanent residence in Cuba but has also spent extended periods living in exclusive residential areas of the capital, primarily in the municipalities of Plaza de la Revolución and Playa," Domínguez noted.
Hurtado has frequently traveled to Mexico and Venezuela, utilizing official and military aviation routes linking Caracas and Havana, and maintains ties with pro-Castro networks in Spain. In October 2024, Spanish courts ordered her to pay 10,000 euros to Cuban doctor Lucio Enríquez Nodarse for defamation. A year earlier, Spanish authorities unsuccessfully attempted to locate her to serve a complaint, as she was residing in Cuba.
The Broader Implications of Espín's Network
Alejandro Castro Espín, a central figure in this network, was added to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list in June 2026, alongside Díaz-Canel and other Cuban power figures, due to his political influence and connections to the regime's intelligence apparatus.
"Both Senén Casas and those accompanying him on these foreign missions accumulate hundreds of flights, which, in addition to airfare, include accommodation and per diems. Who funds all this? The Cuban people. The lifestyle of this elite, disconnected from Cuban reality, exemplifies their disdain for those they govern," Domínguez concludes.
Understanding the Network Behind Cuba's Diplomatic Operatives
Who is Senén Casas Más?
Senén Casas Más is a key figure in the inner circle of Alejandro Castro Espín, known for his involvement in numerous secret diplomatic missions abroad, backed by the Cuban regime.
What is GAESA?
GAESA is an opaque economic-military conglomerate in Cuba, controlling major financial assets of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, and was primarily developed by General Julio Casas Regueiro.
How is Ana Hurtado Martínez connected to the Cuban regime?
Ana Hurtado Martínez is a Spanish activist and public supporter of the Cuban regime, married to Senén Casas Más, and has established ties in Cuba, living in exclusive areas of Havana.