Today, October 10, will be another memorable day for the homeland. Maintaining the historical continuity of the Cuban Revolution, initiated 151 years ago in La Demajagua, the Republic of Cuba’s Council of State Council will be elected during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, as stipulated in the second transitory provision of the new Constitution.
With remarks from the President of the Republic, the extraordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power concluded.
Today is October 10 and we Cubans should congratulate each other, he said. This was Cuba’s first day of freedom, as Carlos Manuel de Céspedes said in the historic uprising of La Demajagua, “and we have every reason to celebrate.”
Díaz-Canel stated, “The Revolution is a struggle for the future, as it always has been and continues to be.”
For all elected, he said, the fundamental task must be the future. Nonetheless, he reiterated, as fundamental tasks, we have, first of all, defense and the economy.
He recalled that, on the Presidency’s website, he had made the call “to think as a country, and found a great deal of optimism and confidence and also some expressions of concern, logical given the convulsive international panorama.”
The President evoked Martí: “To govern is to foresee”. And the Revolution, he stated, “owes much to the foresight of Fidel and Raul. That is our political school.” For those who have doubts, he suggested, just look at our 60 years of history.
“The Cuban Revolution will preserve intact all of its convictions, those that cost the blood of the country’s children. When you have a people of such traditions, like the Cuban, you do not hesitate to face the future, aware that you will triumph. Today we repeat the expression we have often heard from the Army General: What a people we have!
“The more they attack and intimidate us, the more our willpower, national strength, and unity grows. October 10 will always inspire us, as the mambises did not hesitate to use machetes, when there were no guns, we will always have our dignity as a banner and a moral shield.”
In the land of Céspedes, Mariana, Gómez, Maceo, Martí, Mella, Guiteras, Rubén, Camilo, Che, Almeida, Ramiro, Guillermo, Vilma, Celia, Haydee, Melba … in the land of Raúl and Fidel, the Bronze Titan’s warning has not changed one millimeter: “He who attempts to take Cuba, will collect only the dust of its blood soaked soil, if he does not perish in the fight.”
“Intense, challenging days await us, but no one is going to take from us the confidence in the future which we owe our children,” he concluded
National Assembly and Council of State President Esteban Lazo invitesthe president of the National Electoral Council, Alina Balseiro, to report the results of the vote.
In compliance with articles 222, 223 and 224 Section 1 of the Electoral Law, the vote count was conducted with the following results:
• Of 605 deputy seats, 599 are currently occupied.
• There are 6 vacancies at this time.
• 580 deputies were present, representing 96.83% attendance.
• 19 deputies were absent.
• 580 deputies voted, representing 100% of those present.
• 580 deputies deposited their ballot in the ballot box.
• 580 ballots were ruled valid, 100%
• 568 deputies for all the candidates voted and 12 cast selective votes.
As established in the Constitution of the Republic, in Articles 126 and 129, to be elected for these positions, a favorable vote of the absolute majority is required.
For President of the Republic: Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez obtained 579 votes for 96.76%, which represents the majority of deputies currently members of the National Assembly.
For the Vice President of the Republic: Salvador Antonio Valdés Mesa obtained 569 votes for 94.99%, which represents the majority of deputies currently members of the National Assembly.
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Esteban Lazo asked deputies if, after studying the nominees’ biographies, anyone believed a candidate should be removed or would like to propose a modification. No proposals were presented and the candidature was approved anonymously.
The newly elected secretary of the National Assembly and the Council of State, Homero Acosta, invited Army General Raúl Castro, deputy Miguel Díaz-Canel and other deputies to exercise their right to a free, equal, direct, and secret vote.
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Next, the second point on the day’s agenda was introduced by María Consuelo Baeza Martín, president of the National Candidacy Commission, who announced the proposals for President and Vice President of the Republic.
On behalf of the Candidacy Commission, Baeza congratulated Estaban Lazo and other newly elected members of the Council of State, wishing them “success in this task of great responsibility.”
The President of the Republic must have reached 35 years of age, be in full possession of civil and political rights, and a Cuban citizen by birth without any other citizenship, Baeza explained
“To carry out this responsibility, Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who has served as President of the Councils of State and Ministers, is proposed, given his political and state experience,” Baeza stated.
The Vice President of the Republic must have reached 35 years of age, be in full possession of civil and political rights, and a Cuban citizen by birth without any other citizenship, she reaffirmed.
To occupy this position, Salvador Antonio Valdés Mesa was proposed, who served as First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers. He is a member of the Political Bureau and has a long history of service to the Revolution.
Complying with provisions of the Electoral Law, Alina Balseiro, president of the National Electoral Council, submitted to vote the approval of the candidacies for President, Vice President, and Secretary of the National Assembly, as well as for the remaining 18 Council of State members.
The candidacies were approved unanimously and the free, equal, direct and secret vote ballot of deputies will proceed.Cuarta sesión extraordinaria IX Legislatura de la Asamblea Nacional en erl Palacio de Convenciones, Presidido por El Presidente de los Consejos de estado y de Ministros Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, el Primer secretario del PCC General de Ejercito Raul Castro Ruz y Estaban Lazo Hernández, Presidente de la ANPP, elecciones del Consejo de estado y presidencia de la ANPP
Cuarta sesión extraordinaria IX Legislatura de la Asamblea Nacional en erl Palacio de Convenciones, Presidido por El Presidente de los Consejos de estado y de Ministros Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, el Primer secretario del PCC General de Ejercito Raul Castro Ruz y Estaban Lazo Hernández, Presidente de la ANPP, elecciones del Consejo de estado y presidencia de la ANPP
Cuarta sesión extraordinaria IX Legislatura de la Asamblea Nacional en erl Palacio de Convenciones, Presidido por El Presidente de los Consejos de estado y de Ministros Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, el Primer secretario del PCC General de Ejercito Raul Castro Ruz y Estaban Lazo Hernández, Presidente de la ANPP, elecciones del Consejo de estado y presidencia de la ANPP
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Balseiro indicated that the next step established is approval of the proposed candidature list of other members who will be part of the Council of State.The proposed candidature was approved unanimously.Nominations for President, Vice President and Secretary, and other members of the Council of State were approved. Now the election will be conducted by a free and secret vote.
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New members proposed: – Yansi María Bravo O’Farril, Havana Comptroller – José Ángel Fernández Castañeda, president of the Federation of University Students (FEU) – Alexis Lorente Jiménez, president of the Municipal Assembly of People’s Power in Sancti Spíritus – Eduardo Moisés Torres Cuevas, president of the Cuban Academy of History
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The president of the National Candidacy Commission, Consuelo Baeza Martín, also announced nominees to fill the remaining 18 positions of the Council of State Council, based on providing both continuity and renewal. She proposed to reelect the following members: – Teresa Amarelle Boué, member of the Political Bureau of the Party and general secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) – Jorge Berlanga Acosta, senior researcher, PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences – Rosalina Fournier Frómeta, architect – Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, member of the Political Bureau and general secretary of the federation of Cuban Workers(CTC) – Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, a Council of State vice president – Carlos Alberto Martínez Blanco, director of the capital’s provincial Health Department – Felicia Martínez Suárez, Council of State member – Carlos Rafael Miranda, national coordinator of the Committes for the Defense of the Revolution(CDR) – Yipsi Moreno Gonzáles, Athletics National Commissioner – Susely Morfa González, first secretary of the Young Communist League National Committee of the Union – Miriam Nicado García, member of the Political Bureau and rector of the University of Havana. – Elizabeth Peña Turruellas, national director of the Urban and Suburban Agriculture program. – Yoerky Sánchez, editor of the newspaper Juventud Rebelde – Rafael Santiesteban Pozo, president of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP)
The president of the National Candidacy Commission, María Consuelo Baeza Martín, stated that the group’s efforts were directed toward ensuring that “those selected, in addition to their merits, have human values and a vocation of service to the people.”
With the entry into effect of the new Electoral Law, July 13, 2019, the number of members of the Council of State was reduced from 31 to 21. With this decision, “an adequate representation of women, youth, Blacks, and Mestizos is maintained,” she reported.
The first candidacy proposals that María Consuelo Baeza reported, were for the positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary of the National Assembly of People’s Power, who will also lead the Council of State.
On behalf of the Commission, Baeza proposed for the position of President of the National Assembly and the Council of State, Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández, “given his outstanding performance as National Assembly President for the Eighth and Ninth Legislatures,” adding that he was a member of the Party Political Bureau and an economist by profession.
As the Commission’s candidate for Vice President of the National Assembly and Council of State, Ana María Mari Machado was proposed, who, Baeza said, has successfully served as Vice President of the National Assembly since 2012. Machado is currently a member of the Party Central Committee, and is woman who, in addition to her personal merits as a revolutionary, has extensive experience in management positions at the municipal, provincial and nation levels, and has a law degree.
As Secretary of the National Assembly and the Council of State, proposed was Homer Acosta Álvarez, who has been Council of State Secretary since 2009, fulfilling his duties efficiently and responsibly. He has a law degree and participated in the drafting of the new Constitution.
Assembly President Lazo invited Alina Balseiro, president of the National Electoral Council, to conduct the first point on the agenda, the election of the President, Vice President, and Secretary of the body, who will henceforth also head the Council of State.Balseiro presented the proposed candidature and María Consuelo Baeza Martín, president of the National Candidacy Commission, presented the nominees for this election.99.6% of the deputies submitted proposals to the Commission. All selected candidates meet requirements for the positions, she reported.
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Political Bureau member and current Assembly President Esteban Lazo stated that 151 years after the beginning of Cuba’s wars of independence, we continue working to advance in our single Revolution, united around our fundamental principles, despite the intensification of the blockade and measures taken by the Trump administration to destroy the Cuban Revolution.He recalled that the actions being carried out today are proceeding in compliance with the Constitution, to strengthen the country’s institutional framework.He announced that Zunilda García Garcés, deputy from the Isle of Youth, was sworn in, and that the session’s agenda would include:- Election of the President of the National Assembly of People’s Power- Election of the Vice President of the National Assembly- Election of the Secretary of the National Assembly- Election of other members of the Council of State- Election of the President and Vice President of the Republic
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10:00 a.m.
Fourth extraordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power begins, with 575 deputies present, an attendance of 95.04 %, with the presence of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee; Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Councils of State and Ministers; José Ramón Machado Ventura, second Party secretary; and Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power.
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Today, October 10, will be another memorable day for the homeland. Maintaining the historical continuity of the Cuban Revolution, initiated 151 years ago in La Demajagua, the Republic of Cuba’s Council of State Council will be elected during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power, as stipulated in the second transitory provision of the new Constitution,.
Today the election of the President, Vice President, and Secretary of the National Assembly will also take place, who, beginning today, will also head the Council of State. The remaining 18 members of the Council of State will be elected, as well.
(Granma)