Ricardo Cabrisas
Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz was a Cuban politician and diplomat. A member of the Communist Party of Cuba, he held senior government posts for more than four decades, most notably as Minister of Foreign Trade from 1980 to 2000 and again as Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment between 2023 and 2024. He also served as Vice President of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Economy and Planning, and Deputy Prime Minister. Known for his role in Cuba's economic diplomacy, he negotiated international agreements and represented the country in foreign relations.
Early life
Cabrisas was born on January 21, 1937, in Havana. He studied political science and medicine, though he did not complete either degree.Career
In 1961, two years after the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, Cabrisas joined the newly created Ministry of Foreign Trade. In the following years, he rose through various minor foreign posts, such as Commercial Counsellor in Uruguay and Canada.From 1971 to 1973, Cabrisas served as Cuba's ambassador to Japan. Over subsequent decades he became the government's chief negotiator on foreign debt, representing the country in talks with both state and private creditors and leading economic negotiations with partners such as China and Russia. He also took part in negotiations with financial actors considered less aligned with Cuba's model, such as the Paris Club, with which he renegotiated debt in 2025 in France.
Cabrisas sat as a deputy in the Cuban parliament and was a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, the country's only legal party. He headed the Ministry of Foreign Trade from 1980 to 2000, and held other senior government posts including Minister of Economy and Planning and Vice President of the Council of Ministers. During the first ordinary session of the IX Legislature of the National Assembly, he again assumed the role of Vice President of the Council of Ministers while also serving as Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment.
On May 23, 2024, President Miguel Díaz-Canel replaced Cabrisas as Minister of Foreign Commerce, naming Oscar Pérez, then first deputy minister, as his successor. Cabrisas continued in his post as Deputy Prime Minister.
Honors
Cabrias held the honorary title of Hero of Labour of the Republic of Cuba.In February 2025, Cabrisas received in Havana the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the government of Japan, the second-highest distinction awarded to foreign nationals, for his sustained efforts over five decades to deepen bilateral relations.