This past Friday, the Cuban government disclosed that Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga has been elevated to the position of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba. This decision was sanctioned by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and confirmed by the Council of State, following a proposal from Miguel Díaz-Canel. At 54 years old, Pérez-Oliva Fraga will retain his role as Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX), a position he has held since May 2024. He took over from the regime's long-standing negotiator, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, who passed away in September at 88—merely a year and a half after his replacement—at whose funeral notably absent was the retired General Raúl Castro Ruz.
According to a brief statement in official media, Pérez-Oliva Fraga is a qualified electronic engineer and has developed his professional journey "from the ground up" within the state business system. Before joining the Council of Ministers, he served as the general director of Maquimport, director of Business Evaluation at the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZED Mariel), and later as vice minister and first vice minister of MINCEX, until his promotion to minister.
Continuity Through Familial Ties
While the regime portrays his rise as a testament to continuity and technical expertise, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga is part of the influential Castro Ruz family. This highlights once again the prevalent nepotism within Cuba's ruling elite. The new Deputy Prime Minister is the grandson of Angelita Castro, sister to dictator Fidel Castro and the nonagenarian general, and son of biologist Mirsa Fraga Castro. He is also the nephew of José Antonio Fraga Castro, who led the state company LABIOFAM until 2014. This familial connection makes him a direct great-nephew of the Castro brothers, a relationship that analysts say has been crucial for his advancement in a state apparatus where family and political loyalty outweigh technical competence or efficient management.
During his tenure at ZED Mariel, Pérez-Oliva worked under the supervision of the late General Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, former son-in-law of Raúl Castro and head of the military conglomerate GAESA, the business group that controls Cuba's dollarized economy. This experience solidified his connections with the economic structure of the military, which continues to dominate the island's finances, foreign investment, and foreign trade.
A Shadowed Legacy and Economic Control
Pérez-Oliva Fraga's appointment also revives memories of his uncle's scandals. Fraga Castro, the ex-director of LABIOFAM, was implicated in alleged financial irregularities and money laundering operations within the biotechnology group. Independent investigations published by CiberCuba uncovered that under his leadership, LABIOFAM might have been used to move funds abroad and conduct opaque transactions linked to companies controlled by the Castro family circle. In 2014, following a series of internal controversies and public denunciations, Fraga Castro was discreetly removed, although no formal investigation was ever publicized, reinforcing perceptions of impunity within the family power circle.
The promotion of Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga cannot be understood merely as a technical or administrative ascent. His career path weaves a web of direct relationships with the regime's most opaque financial structures, the same ones that have allowed the Castro leadership to control the nation's wealth and its international projection for decades.
Political Ascendancy Amidst Economic Strife
Amidst Cuba's deep economic crisis, characterized by shortages, inflation, power outages, mass emigration, and the collapse of the Cuban peso in the informal market, Pérez-Oliva's appointment raises questions. As head of MINCEX, his main challenge has been to attract foreign investment in an environment marked by investor distrust, bureaucratic hurdles, lack of transparency, and a legal framework that continues to discriminate against Cubans residing abroad. Over a year into his tenure as minister, results remain limited. Official figures indicate a continued decline in foreign investment, while ZED Mariel struggles to establish itself as a regional attraction hub.
The position of Deputy Prime Minister is among the highest within the Council of Ministers, granting Pérez-Oliva Fraga direct involvement in the government's strategic decisions, under the supervision of Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and the designated leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, a Communist Party bureaucrat often seen as a puppet of the Castro clan. However, the appointment of Pérez-Oliva Fraga can also be interpreted as an attempt by the regime to refresh its image without altering the actual power structure, controlled by the Communist Party and the military and business elite that are the Castro heirs.
His promotion reaffirms that, over six decades since the onset of Castroism, family descendants continue to occupy key state positions, ensuring the continuity of the country's political and economic control. As the Cuban people face the effects of an unprecedented crisis, the rise of a new Castro through political nepotism symbolizes that, under the Cuban dictatorial and totalitarian regime, power is not earned by merit but by bloodline and loyalty to the system.
Understanding the Impact of Nepotism in Cuban Politics
How does nepotism influence political appointments in Cuba?
In Cuba, nepotism deeply impacts political appointments, often placing family loyalty above technical skills or effective management. This ensures that power remains concentrated within a select group, maintaining the status quo of the ruling elite.
What are the challenges facing foreign investment in Cuba?
Challenges include distrust from international investors, bureaucratic obstacles, a lack of transparency, and a discriminatory legal framework against Cuban expatriates. These factors hinder the attraction of foreign investment despite attempts to open the economy.