Political Frailty

[arghton 6,717]

On 02/08/2022 at 23:10, arghton said:

 

16. Austria

Hans Tuppy (1924) Minister for Science and Research 1987-1989

Heinrich Pfusterschmid-Hardtenstein (1927) Ancient diplomat who looked very frail last year

Helmut Kritzinger (1928) Right-wing ÖVP influencer politician who retired due to failing health in 2019. ...

Helmut Kritzinger retired from life on Sunday at 95.

[drol 11,945]

Former Uruguay VP Danilo Astori hospitalised with respiratory failure.

[drol 11,945]

Former Italian minister of education Luigi Berlinguer dead at 91 after three-months hospitalization.

[Sinbabad 1,116]

Francis Mer, former French minister of economy, has died aged 84.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

Mel Sembler, Former American Ambassador to Australia and then to Italy has died aged 93. Obit

[arghton 6,717]

On 01/05/2022 at 15:17, drol said:

Former Cuba foreign minister and Parliament president Ricardo Alarcon dead at 84. One of the old guard who fought in the revolution.

 

Still some of them around. Ramiro Valdés Menendéz (1932), former Minister of the Interior and VP, and VP José Ramón Machado Ventura (1930) have been only recently relieved of their duties, but are still going strong. Of course Raul Castro (1931) is still around. Any other, @arghton?

I went through these again as I stumbled upon a mostly unrelated article about Cuban leadership. Seems that (excluding Raul) there's 5 major old guard military/political leaders left, and a few smaller names:

 

1) José Ramón Machado Ventura (1930) Hardline communist who was pretty much Raul's second-in-command during Fidel's long illness. Looks ancient.

2) Osmany Cienfuegos (1931) Older brother of legendary revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos who died in 1959. One of the revolutionary commanders who've held onto power for massive amounts of time, multiple time minister. He's slowly been retiring due to minor health issues since the 2000s but still as of 2019 was seen as one of those remaining who are more powerful than the current President (with Raul, Ventura, Menendez and Garcia Frias). Known also for his involvement in suffocating Castro opponents.

3) Ramiro Valdés Menéndez (1932) Major revolutionary commander, former interior minister (initial interior minister too), former vice PM. Probably the healthiest of the bunch. Survived a car crash this year but still around weekly making appearances and walking without any aid.

4) Guillermo García Frías (1928) Born before Che, one of the last revolutionary commanders, former head of the army and multiple-time minister. Still making appearances, owns a lot of companies in Cuba and apparently very rich.

 

Smaller names:

5) Abelardo Colomé Ibarra (1939) Laid the foundations of State Security in 1959 as head of the Chief of the Intelligence Directorate of the Rebel Army at age 19. However his career didn't really peak until 1989 when he became Minister of the Interior until his retirement in 2015.

6) Julio Camacho Aguilera (1924) First Transport Minister of Castro's cuba, later a longtime Central Committee member. Oldest revolutionary commander living.

7) Teté Puebla (1940) Castro bodyguard, "legendary" guerrilla, head of the veterans affairs office, Hero of Cuba recipient and first woman to be a general officer in Cuba. Still recently a parliament member but has made less appearances since the pandemic started.

8) Leopoldo Cintra Frías (1941) Accompanied Fidel during the revolution, later led a large unit of Cuban tanks in Angola and Ethiopia. Minister of Defence from Julio Casas Regueiro's death in 2011 to his retirement due to health issues in 2021.

9) Álvaro López Miera (1943) Successor of Leopoldo Cintra Frías and current minister of the armed forces. Only 14 when he joined the 26th of July movement, might well end up the last living old guard member. He's still shaking hands with his Russian and Vietnamese counterparts and will definitely be the last revolutionary doing so.

10) Ramón Espinosa Martín (1939-2024) Old Politburo member and Hero of Cuba recipient. His granddaughter is an escort in Miami.

11) Samuel Rodiles Planas (1935) Current housing minister and post-Revolution Chief of the Police force.

 

Nearly all now "retired" but behind the curtains quite many of these people still hold a lot of power...Raul, RVM and JRMV were all well enough to appear and stand without aid at the Jose Marti birth anniversary in January. Delio Gómez Ochoa is also one of the last living "revolutionary commanders", 94 years old but unlike the others, as far as I know never really held any political positions.

 

Edit: Here's an image from that January event. L-R Machado Ventura, Valdes Menendez and Raul Casto.

[drol 11,945]

On 19/03/2022 at 19:02, drol said:

Living vice chairmen/women of CPPCC:
 

12)Zhong Tienong (1938)

 

Zhong Tienong dead at 85.

[drol 11,945]

On 15/11/2022 at 16:28, arghton said:

Luiz Antônio Fleury Filho, Brazilian politician, Governor of São Paulo 1991-1995 dead at 73. Most known for being the governor during the Carandiru massacre.

 

I have to admit, when I saw "Governor of São Paulo" on the Deaths of 2022 page I thought it'd be Paulo Maluf or José Maria Marin. Maluf's in 24/7 medical care as far as I know and the other guy seems very frail.

José Maria Marin in ICU after stroke, but seemingly not in danger.

[YoungWillz 21,037]

On 08/09/2023 at 23:33, Cian said:

Northern Irish MLA and noted homophobe David Hilditch has resigned to go off and die

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mla-david-hilditch-announces-stepping-27681134

David Hilditch takes the embrace of sweet sweet death: https://mydup.com/news/sir-jeffrey-pays-tribute-to-david-hilditch

[arghton 6,717]

Antoni Martí, Prime Minister of Andorra 2011-2015 and 2015-2019, being reported dead at 60 from cardiorespiratory arrest. As head of the microstate he oversaw the introduction of the Euro. He also founded "Democrats for Andorra", the current ruling party.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

Two members of the House of Lords had their memberships renounced yesterday due to non-attendance i.e. they failed to show up for at least one sitting in the last parliamentary term.

They were:

Lord Amir Bhatia OBE (wiki), 91, businessman and former Crossbench peer (later a non-affiliated member) – was suspended for 8 months in 2010 due to dodgy expenses, also had a separate scandal involving "misappropriating" £600,000 from a charity.

Lord Robert Dixon-Smith (wiki), 89, farmer and former Conservative chairman of Essex County Council, forced to apologise in 2008 after saying "N-word in a woodpile" during a debate (not the last time a member of either house has used this idiom).

Anyway, members normally do whatever they can to hold onto their membership. They can take a leave of absence or merely show up to single sitting. Getting kicked out usually means they're very ill. Both of the above names will get QOs so decent DDP suggestions.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

 

Spanish Politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca has been shot in Madrid. 

[drol 11,945]

On 29/09/2023 at 11:31, arghton said:

Hiroyuki Hosoda to step down next month.

 

Rumors on the internet that Nigeria tourism minister Lola Ade-John has been poisoned and is fighting for her life.

Hiroyuki Hosoda dead at 79.

[drol 11,945]

On 01/11/2023 at 20:46, drol said:

Former Uruguay VP Danilo Astori hospitalised with respiratory failure.

Danilo Astori dead at 83.

[Gisooo 3,325]

On 01/05/2022 at 18:44, arghton said:

LUXEMBOURG

Guy de Muyser (1926) Former representative to NATO, Hon.Marshal of the Court of the Grand Duke.

Jean Hamilius (1927) Minister for Public Works 1974-1979

Marcel Schlechter (1928) Minister of Energy, Public Works and Transport 1984-1989

Astrid Lulling (1929) MEP 1965-1974, 1989-2014

Jean Spautz (1930) Former Christian Social People's Party leader

 

Marcel Schlechter (Wiki) dead at 95

[MariNisia 4,194]

On 09/11/2023 at 16:56, The Old Crem said:

Spanish Politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras Roca has been shot in Madrid.

 

A very friendly and respectful person with a great sense of humour.

His confrontations with the evil Jordi Pujol, when Pujol was the President of the Government of Catalonia, were very funny.

My best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mr. Vidal-Quadras.

[Deathrace 1,170]

Jonathan Aitken looks very good for 81 here. Could easily pass for ten years younger 

 

[drol 11,945]

On 01/05/2022 at 18:44, arghton said:

 

 

JAPAN (Up to 1935 also including "less notable" ones up to 1925. Note: Japan is notoriously bad at keeping track at who is alive and who is not)

 

Masatoshi Wakabayashi (1934) Former Opposition Leader who resigned from the Diet of Japan after pressing the voting button for Aoki.

Kosuke Hori (1934) Former Internal Affairs minister.

 

Masatoshi Wakabayashi and Kosuke Hori both dead at 89.

 

Also Yoshinori Ohno from your list died in July.

[Gisooo 3,325]

On 01/05/2022 at 18:44, arghton said:

Houchang Nahavandi (1930) Minister of Science 1978

Manouchehr Ganji (1931) Minister of Education 1976-1978

Abbas Sheibani (1931-2022) Minister of Agriculture 1979-1980, Member of Parliament 1981-2000

Reza Sadr (1932) Minister of Commerce 1979-1980

Hooshang Talé (1933) Member of Parliament 1967-1971

Davoud Hermidas-Bavand (1934) Spokesman of the National Front

Habibollah Peyman (1935) Socialist dissident

Hamid Behbahani (1935/1941) Minister of Roads and Transportation 2008-2011

Mahmoud Ahmadzadeh (1933/1935-2022) Minister of Industries and Mines 1979-1980

 

Davoud Hermidas-Bavand (Wiki) dead at 89

[drol 11,945]

On 01/05/2022 at 18:44, arghton said:

 

Rahim Huseynov (1936) Prime Minister 1992-1993

 

Rahim Huseynov dead at 87.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

On 13/06/2017 at 23:28, YoungWillz said:

 

Brian Cotter, 83 (24 Aug 1936), Liberal Democrat (Weston-super-Mare 1997-2005)

Brian Cotter has died aged 87. Wiki

[prussianblue 1,027]

Coffey claiming that she 'nearly died' due to the stress of high office: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-67415285

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

22 minutes ago, prussianblue said:

Coffey claiming that she 'nearly died' due to the stress of high office: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-67415285

 

 

She was health minister, right? Did it not occur to her to ask around the people she rubbed her fat shoulders with?

[Sean 6,315]

6 hours ago, prussianblue said:

Coffey claiming that she 'nearly died' due to the stress of high office: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-67415285

The stress of her heart pumping blood to a body made up of over 90 percent lard more like.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

A friend just messaged me to say Sir Tom Arnold has died, aged 76. 
 

Popular Tory MP so I would expect quite a few obituaries.