Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (American Spanish: [raˈul moˈðesto ˈkastɾo ˈrus]; born 3 June 1931), commonly known as Raúl Castro, is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008.