Juanita Castro

Juana de la Caridad (Juanita) Castro Ruz (born May 6, 1933) is a sister of former Cuban President Fidel Castro and current President Raúl Castro. After collaborating with the Central Intelligence Agency in Cuba, she has been living in the United States since 1964.

Early life

Juanita was born in Birán, near Mayarí, in what is now known as Holguín Province. She is the fourth child of Ángel Castro y Argiz and Lina Ruz González, and has three brothers — Ramón, Fidel, and Raúl — and three sisters — Angelita, Enma, and Agustina. The family also has five half siblings: Lidia, Pedro Emilio, Manuel, Antonia, and Georgina, who were raised by Ángel Castro's first wife Maria Luisa Argota. Ángel Castro also had at least one other son, named Martin, born in 1930, the son of a farmhand named Generosa Mendoza, according to Bardach's ''Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington. Martin, 80, continues to live on the family property in Birán.

In the Revolution

Juanita, like all the Castros siblings, was active in the Cuban revolution, buying weapons for the 26th of July movement during their campaign against Fulgencio Batista. In 1958 Juanita traveled to the U.S. to raise funds. After the revolution Juanita felt betrayed by the growing influence of Cuban communists over the Cuban government.