Ramón Castro Dead: 5 Things To Know About Fidel, Raúl's Older Brother

Ramón Eusebio Castro, also known as Ramón Castro Ruz, died in Havana, Cuba on Tuesday at 91 according to state media. Brother of former Cuban president Fidel Castro and acting president Raúl castro, Rámon stayed out of the spotlight for the most part, preferring to wage farming on his country ranch than revolutionary politics in Cuba’s capital with his younger brothers.

Fighter: Ramón fought in the Cuban revolution alongside his brothers, and helped supply troops during the fight against dictator Fulgencio Batista, according to state media. But he took a less prominent role, helping his family maintain their ranch while his brothers were imprisoned during the Batista regime.

Farmer: He is credited for helping improve Cuba’s agricultural production as a government adviser, including improving sugar output in the 1960s, according to Washington Post. He was awarded Cuba’s Héroe del Trabajo -- Hero of Work -- award.

Politician: while Ramón never wielded much power, he was a founding member of Cubaś communist party, and moonlighted as a deputy in the parliament.

Dairy Diplomat: One of Ramón’s best friends was a capitalist cattle rancher from Florida, John Parke Wright IV. Wright, an Obama supporter, lobbied the U.S. government to relax the country’s economic embargo on Cuba. It is certainly plausible that Ramón’s friendship with Wright influenced his brother Raúl, who presided over the current warming of U.S.-Cuban relations

Smoker: Ramón started smoking cigars when he was 12. Unlike his brother Fidel, he never kicked the habit, puffing his Cubanos for nearly 80 years. Probably not a habit to be emulated for good health -- about 1/3 of smokers die from smoking-related diseases -- but ‘ol Ramón beat the odds.