Vice President of Cuba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Republic of Cuba
Coat of arms of Cuba
Incumbent Salvador Valdés Mesa since 19 April 2018
Council of State
Style	Mr Vice President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	Council of Ministers
Residence	Palacio de la Revolución
Appointer	National Assembly of People's Power
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Formation	2 December 1976; 48 years ago (1976-12-02)
First holder	Raúl Castro

The Vice President of Cuba is a very important political role. It's the second-highest position in the Cuban government. From 1976 to 2019, this role was called the Vice President of the Council of State.

Today, Cuba can have several vice presidents. They are chosen in the same way as the President of Cuba. In the past, the vice president was elected together with the president. This position has existed during different periods: from 1902 to 1928, in 1936, from 1940 to 1958, and since 1976.

Who Has Been Vice President of Cuba?

This section lists the people who have served as Vice President of Cuba throughout history.

Vice Presidents During Cuba's Fight for Independence (1869–1899)

These leaders served during a time when Cuba was fighting to become independent. This period is known as the Republic in Arms.

No.	Portrait	Name (born-died)	Term of office			Political party		President(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Francisco Vicente Aguilera (1821–1877)	April 1869	22 February 1877 †	7 years, 10 months		Independent	Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Salvador Cisneros Betancourt Juan Bautista Spotorno Tomás Estrada Palma
2		Francisco Javier de Céspedes (1821–1903)	April 1877	October 1877	6 months		Independent	Tomás Estrada Palma
Vacant 1878 – 1895
3		Bartolomé Masó Márquez (1830–1907)	September 1895	September 1897	2 years		Cuban Revolutionary Party	Salvador Cisneros Betancourt
4		Domingo Méndez Capote (1863–1934)	September 1897	May 1899	1 year, 8 months		Cuban Revolutionary Party	Bartolomé Masó Márquez
Military Government of Cuba 1898 – 1902

Vice Presidents of the Republic (1902–1959)

This list shows the vice presidents who served after Cuba became an independent republic.

No.	Portrait	Name (born-died)	Term of office			Political party		President(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Luis Estévez y Romero (1849–1909)	May 1902	March 1905	2 years, 10 months		Cuban National Party	Tomás Estrada Palma
							Republican Party of Havana
2		Domingo Méndez Capote (1863–1934)	January 1906	September 1906	8 months		Cuban National Party	Tomás Estrada Palma
							Republican Party of Havana
Provisional Government of Cuba 1906 – 1909
3		Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso (1861–1934)	January 1909	May 1913	4 years, 4 months		Liberal Party	José Miguel Gómez
4		Enrique José Varona (1849–1933)	20 May 1913	20 May 1917	4 years		Conservative Party	Mario García Menocal
5		Emilio Núñez (1855–1922)	20 May 1917	20 May 1921	4 years		Conservative Party	Mario García Menocal
6		Francisco Carrillo Morales (1851–1926)	20 May 1921	20 May 1925	4 years		Popular Party	Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso
7		Carlos de la Rosa Hernández (c. 1870–1933)	20 May 1925	1928	2–3 years		Liberal Party	Gerardo Machado
Abolished 1929 – 1936
8		Federico Laredo Brú (1875–1946)	20 May 1936	December 1936	6 months		Liberal Party	Miguel Mariano Gómez
Vacant 1936 – 1940
9		Gustavo Cuervo Rubio (1890–1978)	10 October 1940	10 October 1944	4 years		Popular Socialist Coalition	Fulgencio Batista
10		Raúl de Cárdenas Echarte [es] (1884–1979)	10 October 1944	10 October 1948	4 years		Authentic Party	Ramón Grau
11		Guillermo Alonso Pujol [es] (1899–1973)	10 October 1948	10 March 1952	3 years, 5 months		Authentic Party	Carlos Prío Socarrás
Vacant 1952 – 1955
12		Rafael Guas Inclán (1896–1975)	February 1955	1 January 1959	3 years, 11 months		National Action Party	Fulgencio Batista

First Vice Presidents of the Council of State (1976–2019)

After 1976, the role was known as the First Vice President of the Council of State.

No.	Portrait	Name (born-died)	Term of office			Political party		President(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Raúl Castro (born 1931)	December 1976	February 2008	31 years, 2 months		Communist Party	Fidel Castro
2		José Ramón Machado Ventura (born 1930)	February 2008	February 2013	5 years		Communist Party	Raúl Castro
3		Miguel Díaz-Canel (born 1960)	February 2013	April 2018	5 years, 2 months		Communist Party	Raúl Castro
4		Salvador Valdés Mesa (born 1945)	April 2018	10 October 2019	1 year, 6 months		Communist Party	Miguel Díaz-Canel

Vice President of the Republic of Cuba (2019–Present)

Since October 2019, the title changed back to Vice President of the Republic of Cuba.

No.	Portrait	Name (born-died)	Term of office			Political party		President(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Salvador Valdés Mesa (born 1945)	10 October 2019	Incumbent	5 years, 322 days		Communist Party	Miguel Díaz-Canel

More About Cuban Politics

• Elections in Cuba
• President of Cuba
• List of current vice presidents
• Republic of Cuba (1902–1959)
• Republic of Cuba in Arms

See also

In Spanish: Vicepresidente de Cuba para niños