In a message to which Prensa Latina had access, PCT General Secretary Manuel Salazar wrote, “We had the opportunity of meeting with the comrade and the time we shared was pleasant and full of teachings.”

Balaguer, who died on Friday, served in various military, diplomatic, party and governmental positions until 2019, when he requested his release due to illness.

In 1952 he joined the fight against the Fulgencio Batista tyrnay, a reason for which he was imprisoned. In 1958 he joined the Rebel Army as a combatant and a doctor at the 2nd Frank Pais Eastern Front.

After the triumph of the Revolution, he held several military and leadership positions in the Cuban Communist Party (PCC) and was a member of the Central Committee, its Secretariat and the Political Bureau.

Balaguer also served as Cuban ambassador to the Soviet Union, later the Russian Federation, was a deputy at the National People’s Power Assembly and minister of Public Health.

He was a founder of the PCC and received several decorations and awards granted by the Council of State. According to a press release broadcast on Cuban television, upon his death, he left as a legacy an example of dedication, responsibility and loyalty.

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