Raúl Castro reappears at the funeral of General Espinosa Martín.

The former minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), Raúl Castro Ruz, made a public appearance again this Saturday during the funeral of Army Corps General Ramón Espinosa Martín, the first deputy minister of that institution, who passed away on September 24.

This reappearance, the second in less than a week, occurs amid persistent rumors about a supposed serious deterioration in his health, rumors that have circulated strongly on social media and some independent media outlets.

Castro, 93 years old, led the ceremony in the Granma hall of MINFAR alongside ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel. The Army General was the first to pay tribute, placing a white rose in front of the urn that contained the ashes of Espinosa Martín.

Last week, Castro had already made a brief public appearance when he received the president of Vietnam, To Lam, an act that aimed to silence rumors about his death or severe deterioration.

However, comments about his health continued, fueled by his advanced age and the increasing absence from public life in recent months. This second appearance, at a solemn event of historical importance, seems to attempt to put an end to the speculations that have surrounded him.

Through his account on X, Díaz-Canel paid tribute to the deceased general and highlighted the presence at the ceremony of the nonagenarian general who placed him at the helm of the government and anointed him as the supposed leader of the so-called "continuity."

Raúl's reappearance at the funeral of one of the most influential military leaders of the so-called "revolution" comes at a time when the Cuban leadership is facing the loss of several key figures from the so-called "old guard."

Only in September, four more generals died, highlighting the fragility of the historical leadership of the regime and sparking debates about the need for generational change and the transition to democracy from the longest-lasting dictatorship in the Western Hemisphere.

Despite the regime's efforts to maintain the image of Castro as an active figure, his age and the deaths of his closest companions have fueled the feeling that the end of an era is near.

Meanwhile, his presence at these events seeks to demonstrate that, although weakened, Raúl Castro remains a symbolic pillar of the Cuban system.