Speaking in Havana on April 19, José Ramón Machado Ventura, second secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) Central Committee, expressed his confidence in the success of the second phase of the National Debate on Patriotic and Anti-imperialist Duty, set to begin over the coming days.
Participating in the 7th National Plenary of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), Machado Ventura, also a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers explained that such spaces will continue to exist; as they provide insight into, and encourage reflection on, important social issues.
He noted that it is vital to ensure that debates do not simply become routine events, which is why the public agenda must be assessed at both a national and local level, while communication strategies must also be renewed and improved.
Meanwhile, Betty Oria González, a member of the CDR National Secretariat, reported that 90 neighborhood debates will he held across all the country’s provinces, with 30 taking place in the Isle of Youth Special Municipality, as part of the second phase of the National Debate set to take place from April through December.
She noted that the first phase began on October 18, 2016 through March 15, 2017, during which over 13,000 meetings were held, with the participation of renowned intellectuals and figures such as Hero of the Republic of Cuba René González Sehwerert, vice president of the José Martí Cultural Society, and journalist Reinaldo Taladrid.
The most common issues to emerge centered on the importance of historical memory; the example of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz; the consequences of the blockade imposed by the U.S. on Cuba for over half a century; and the need to respect national symbols, stated Oria González.
The plenary also addressed other topics, such as neighborhood surveillance, the need for CDR bodies to provide greater support to delegates to People’s Power structures, and the fulfillment of the objectives in the lead up to the CDR Congress, the organization’s largest event set to take place next year.
Carlos Rafael Miranda Martínez, a member of the PCC Central Committee and national CDR coordinator, stated that the organization must not wait until the Congress to discuss pending issues, but arrive having already resolved them.
Meanwhile, Pinar del Río’s selection as CDR National Vanguard was announced during the event. Granma, Las Tunas and Santiago de Cuba were recognized as outstanding provinces, while, the work of members in the municipal capitals of Bayamo, the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Río was also highlighted.
The second day of the 7th Plenary of the CDR National Directorate will be taking place today, April 20, with the participation of almost seven million members.
(ACN)