Cuban Diplomat Raúl Roa Kourí Dies at 90

July 13, 2026

Cuban diplomat and writer Raúl Roa Kourí died on Sunday, July 12, 2026, in Havana, at age 90, the board of the Raúl Roa García Honorary Chair, which he presided over, announced. The news was also confirmed by Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel in a message on his Facebook account and by Cuba's ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios.

Born in Havana on July 9, 1936, Roa Kourí was the only son of veteran foreign minister Raúl Roa García, known as the "Chancellor of Dignity," who headed Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1959 to 1976. His death came just days after the 44th anniversary of his father's passing on July 6, 1982.

Roa Kourí devoted more than three decades to the Cuban foreign service. His longest posting was as Cuba's ambassador to the United Nations in New York, a role he held for 14 years. He also served in diplomatic posts in Prague, Paris, Rome, Mexico City, Brasília, and Santiago de Chile, in addition to serving as ambassador to the Holy See, deputy foreign minister, and secretary to the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.

Fluent in five languages — Spanish, English, French, Italian, and Portuguese — he was also an author, writing works including "La Batalla en Ginebra" (1989), "En el Torrente" (winner of the 1999 Casa de las Américas Prize), and "Memoria de Mundos Varios" (2012).

In his later years he presided over the Raúl Roa García Honorary Chair at the Higher Institute of International Relations, which was elevated to university status in June 2026, just a month before his death.

The chair's board described his passing as "a significant loss for Cuban diplomacy" and highlighted "his exemplary dedication to service, his integrity, and his wisdom." Díaz-Canel offered condolences to Roa Kourí's widow, Lilita, as well as his daughters, grandchildren, and colleagues.

(With information from Cubadebate and CubaHeadlines)