Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada, Former President of the National Assembly of People's Power, Dies in Havana at Age 84

May 1, 2022

Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada, a prestigious Cuban diplomat and politician, passed away in Havana on Sunday, May 1st, according to official sources.

Alarcón de Quesada, born in the capital on May 21, 1937, presided over the National Assembly of People's Power (Parliament) for 20 years (1993 to 2013). He was part of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1980 until July 2013. He was one of the main figures in Cuban politics and diplomacy, serving as minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) between 1992 and 1993, and holding various positions at the United Nations, including that of Cuba's ambassador to the UN.

In his youth, he entered the University of Havana (1954) and was part of the leadership of the University Student Federation (FEU), participating in most of the protest activities organized against Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship. He joined the 26th of July Movement, Fidel Castro's armed organization, and later the Revolutionary Directorate of March 13th, in 1955.

Throughout his career, he was a loyal follower and spokesperson for Fidel Castro. Among the diplomatic tasks undertaken by Alarcón was the negotiation with U.S. authorities of a migration agreement in 1994, following the "raft crisis." Additionally, he led for several years the international propaganda campaign in favor of the liberation of the five Cubans who were members of the Wasp Network in the U.S.

Bruno Rodríguez, Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed "All our tribute to our dear Ricardo Alarcón in loyalty to the Revolution, to the Party, to foreign policy and to the glorious tradition of @CubaMINREX."

For her part, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Josefina Vidal, posted: "To Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada, the Master of diplomats of our generation, we will always hold deep respect, admiration and infinite affection. Thank you for the privilege and honor of having been his disciples."

On his FB wall, intellectual Esteban Morales wrote: The outstanding Revolutionary Fighter Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada was a man of rare intelligence. A connoisseur of Cuban Foreign Policy, American politics and International Relations in the contemporary world. In my work related to American policy and relations between Cuba and the United States, I always had him as a person to consult. We shared activities in Cuba and the United States. We were united by a friendship of many years. Conversing with Comrade Ricardo Alarcón was always one of the most pleasant activities I have done in my intellectual life. A man of proverbial nobility of character, modest and friendly. Of a personal behavior that, in conversation, made you feel him close. His knowledge of international problems in general and of Cuba in particular made you feel that you were talking with a Sage of Foreign Policy.