Raúl Castro
Leader of Cuba from 2011 to 2021
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| January 1 2024 | Made a public appearance and speech at the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, demonstrating continued political presence despite retirement. |
| April 19 2021 | Miguel Díaz-Canel was voted in as his successor at the Communist Party Congress, marking the end of Castro's official leadership roles. |
| April 16 2021 | Announced his retirement at the Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba. |
| September 2019 | The United States sanctioned Castro and barred him from entering the U.S. due to Cuba's support of the Nicolás Maduro government in Venezuela and alleged human rights abuses. |
| September 18 2019 | Awarded the Order of Friendship by China. |
| April 19 2018 | Stepped down from the presidency after Miguel Díaz-Canel was elected by the National Assembly, completing his pledge not to seek a third term. |
| 2017 | Castro publicly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed Mexican border wall and restrictive trade policies, calling them egotistical and irrational. |
| September 2017 | Castro surprised a top American envoy by discussing alleged sonic attacks on American diplomatic staff, denying involvement while allowing rare FBI access to investigate the incident. |
| March 20 2016 | Obama visited Cuba and met with Castro, marking the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to Cuba in 88 years. |
| July 20 2015 | Cuba and the United States officially resumed full diplomatic relations, upgrading their respective interest sections to embassies in Washington, D.C. and Havana. |
| December 17 2014 | Castro and Obama simultaneously announced efforts to normalize relations between Cuba and the United States, including re-establishing embassies in Havana and Washington after diplomatic relations had ceased in 1961. |
| December 10 2013 | Castro shook hands with and greeted American President Barack Obama at the Nelson Mandela memorial service in Johannesburg, marking a significant diplomatic gesture. |
| February 24 2013 | Re-elected as president of Cuba for a second term. |
| April 2011 | Castro announced a plan of 300 economic reforms to encourage private initiative, reduce state spending, attract foreign investment, and implement agrarian reforms. He also announced a limitation on presidential terms. |
| March 26 2010 | Received First Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise from Ukraine. |
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