Luís Daranas Cuculiza

Luis Alberto “Major” Daranas Cuculiza (born 7 December 1954) was a Rakeoian military officer and later politician who served as the Director of Internal Affairs from 31 January 2002 – 28 February 2013.

He was conscripted at the age of 21, and served for six years. At the end of his service, he was recommended to attend university by a supervisor, and was given tuition for a degree in political function. On graduation, Daranas Cuculiza was offered a position with the Directory of Internal Affairs, which he accepted. He was relatively unknown outside of the Directory’s bureaucracy, but had obtained a positive reputation amongst colleagues. When Carla Latfilo died in 2002, the Directory had a historically peaceful transfer of authority.

A self-identified reformer, Daranas Cuculiza instituted changes to the operations of the DAI, adding legal protections for the descendants of veterans of the Rakeoian Civil War and the Surian Fishing War, creating government run civil organizations at national universities dedicated to uprooting corruption, and ending the practice of vagrant labor. He retired in 2013 citing poor health.

Cuculiza faced criticism for attempting to establish a cult of personality surrounding himself, human rights abuses committed by the DAI under his command, and for being ineffective in tackling corruption. While in retirement he made a number of public appearances, before ultimately dying in 2018.