Cuba: Fidel Castro's elder brother Ramon dies aged 91

Ramon Castro, the older brother of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and President Raul Castro, has died on Tuesday (23 February) at the age of 91 in Havana, Cuban state media announced. He was cremated and his remains were to be taken to Biran, the eastern Cuban rural town where the Castro brothers were born, the official website Cubadebate said.

Unlike his two younger brothers who opted for a life of revolutionary politics, Ramon who was popularly known as Mongo, preferred to follow in the footsteps of his father Angel Castro, and became a farmer and rancher.

The eldest of the brothers, he was often confused for his more famous brother Fidel with whom he shared a number of physical similarities.

Having studied agricultural engineering at the University of Havana, Ramon went on to help on the family farms. He later worked in the sugar and cattle industry when the rebels took power and seized their lands.

During his brothers' fight against the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, Ramon worked to organise the guerrillas' supply networks. In 1953 he was arrested and imprisoned by the old government for his ties to Fidel.

Following the success of the Cuban revolution in 1959, he worked as a consultant for the government ministries of agriculture and sugar. He was also involved in agricultural research and started various state companies in the agricultural and animal husbandry industry.

Ramon was married to Aurora Castillo and had five children. He spent his last years on a farm near Havana.

Fidel officially resigned as the president of Cuba in 2008 and the position was passed down to his defence chief and successor, younger brother Raul who plans to step down from power by 2018.