Raul Castro Honors Machado Ventura

HAVANA TIMES – Cuban President Raul Castro conferred the titles of National Hero of the Republic and the Order Playa Giron on Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura on Monday, reported Prensa Latina.

In what appears to be a farewell, the president awarded both honors to the 82-year-old party leader after having demoted him a few weeks ago from his post as First Vice President of the island.

Machado Ventura represents the most hardline wing of power in Cuba, despite Raul Castro having been the one who placed him in that position and later elevated him to the post of Second Secretary of the Communist Party.