Still several months away is the proclamation of the country’s new Constitution, one of the world’s most modern, as specialists in the field have said, given the additions proposed by the commission charged with writing the first draft, which was subsequently approved by the National Assembly of People’s Power.

Nonetheless, already taking shape among Cubans is the document that will provide the country a useful economic, political, and social order, and protect citizens’ rights: the new Cuban Constitution.

But what is the route to proclamation of this new Constitution?

Granma summarizes the steps to be taken…

1. Popular consultation meetings are held, in which citizens express their opinions and suggest changes to the proposed draft:

- 135,000 meetings between August 13 and November 15

- The Cuban people will meet in workplaces, schools, and communities – and may participate in more than one meeting.

2. Processing of proposals is conducted by the Center for Socio-political Studies and Opinion:- The proposed Constitution consists of a preamble and 224 articles, divided into 11 titles, 24 chapters and 16 sections.- To assist in the analysis and processing of opinions, each paragraph has been numbered, a total of 755.- Two-person teams leading meetings will be responsible for the minutes. All proposals made by the population will be taken into account. No votes will be conducted; all are to be recorded in the minutes.- The proposals may be:- Modification: A suggestion to add, replace, or delete a phrase or word in a paragraph.- Addition: A proposal to add a new paragraph because the the idea is not stated in the draft.- Elimination: A proposal to eliminate a paragraph because the citizen considers it unnecessary or does not agree with the content.- Clarification: A request for clarification when the citizen believes an idea expressed in a paragraph is not clear or understandable.3. Submission of proposals to the Commission in charge of preparing the draft Constitution:- Within 48 hours of each meeting, those who took minutes must deliver them to the municipal team, which organizes the information in the form of proposals. The provincial team meets and forwards proposals to the national team.- Proposals will be organized by paragraph, clearly and precisely- Finally, a Proposal Report will be prepared, which will be submitted to the Constitutional Reform Commission, for the evaluation of proposals and the re-writing of the document as deemed necessary4. The document returns to the National Assembly:

- The amended text is returned to the National Assembly for a final discussion and is submitted to a vote for approval.

5. A referendum is called

- The Council of State, in accordance with the National Assembly decision, orders the publication of a convocation for a referendum in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba, and appoints members of the National Electoral Commission

6. Referendum

- The text is submitted for approval in a referendum via a direct, secret ballot vote by citizens.

7. Proclamation

- Upon receiving the people’s backing, the Constitution is proclaimed and as of that moment becomes the law of the land in Cuba.

(Granma)

Ideological differences do not support the resolving of different opinions. On the contrary, they generate arguments within a highly polemical debate environment, leading to multiple definitions based on distinct positions. Agreement may exist with those who state, “The constitution is the state in its concrete political existence. The state is the constitution. The constitution is its soul, its concrete life, and individual existence.”

Constitutional history requires the support of history in general, which serves as its base and guide. The term history, along with constitutional, indicates fully the historical sense that the process and transformation of institutional policies – and a people’s successive constitutions – must possess.

Thus, to understand many constitutional situations of the past, we must situate ourselves correctly in the historical conditions of the time, which serve as the backdrop to these political and constitutional events.

The present, at all times, requires an understanding of its past, of the antecedents that generated it and even the stimuli that could provoke reactions to its nature.

Addressing origins requires a reference to the Carta Magna of 1215, signed by the John Lackland, King of England, and the bishops and barons of England, to which were added the Petition of Right in 1628, habeas corpus in 1679, and the Bill of Rights in 1689.

However, the Mexican constitution established February 5, 1917, must be emphasized as a turning point in constitutional history. Given the many injustices and extreme social inequality generated by the liberal state at that time, Mexico charted a new course – moving away from a liberal, individualistic foundation to a social viewpoint – establishing social justice as the center of constitutional order in this text.

Cuban constitutional law, alongside the nation’s historical development, can be described in three basic stages, with the colonial first. This era was marked by the formal implementation on the island of four Spanish constitutions, and the emergence of several constitutional projects, born of the political concerns of the emerging Cuban oligarchy, among which stand out those ofJosé Agustín Caballero (1811) and Joaquín Infante (1812).

Cuba exercises its sovereignty and independence with a democracy in which decision are made collectively. Photo: Ariel Cecilio Lemus
Also included in this stage are the four constitutional texts drafted during the wars of independence, which governed territories occupied by the Liberation Army: those of Guáimaro (1869), Baraguá (1878), Jimaguayú (1895), and Yaya (1897).

Expressed in these are the origins of Cuban constitutional law and they represent the radicalization of political thought. These documents reflect the process of formation of Cuba’s national identity, while the war itself, as Cintio Vitier said, served as the “crucible of races and classes,” to produce the core of the Cuban nation.

The second stage of our constitutional history includes the first half of the 20th century, with the emergence of bourgeois-liberal constitutions characterized by the country’s limited sovereignty, its political subjugation and economic dependence.

Produced in this period were the constitutions of 1901 and 1940.

The third stage is that of revolutionary socialism, which began with the Foundational Law of February 7, 1959, and the Constitution of February 24, 1976. Both texts were, at their times, expressions of the revolutionary process and the constant search for greater social justice for the entire people, marked by firm, intransigent defense of the country’s independence and sovereignty.

In this brief summary of the three stages of Cuba’s constitutional history, details surrounding some of these moments must be emphasized, given their importance and current relevance.

The Constitution of Guáimaro is the original mother lode of Cuban constitutional history, and maintains its relevance today.

The founders of Cuba’s constitutional order in Guáimaro were influenced by international events: the independence of the 13 British colonies in North America; the French Revolution, and the theoretical developments of the Enlightenment; and lastly the deep mistrust of one-man rule that was becoming common in emerging Latin American nations.

Thought related to these three areas is to be found reflected – for better or worse – in the text drafted by Agramonte and Zambrana. (Our goal here is not to evaluate.)

Once the armed conflict ended in 1868, attention shifted to the Constituent Assembly of 1901. First to be noted is who was able to participate in this gathering, which took place in Havana’s Martí Theater. Restrictions on the right to vote were adopted by U.S. intervention authorities to guarantee their interests and convenience, allowing only those who could show economic solvency, and knew how to read and write, to participate. Thus the majority of the people, poor Black and white citizens, were excluded from the constitutional process, regardless of the merits they demonstrated during the wars of independence.

Nevertheless, some important figures from the liberation struggle participated in the Constituent Assembly, including Juan Gualberto Gómez, Manuel Sanguily, and Salvador Cisneros Betancourt, among others.

The Platt Amendment would be the U.S. government’s great betrayal, a dagger to the heart of the emerging nation, accepted under the threat of a permanent occupation. Thus, in this reality and under pressure, the Constitution of 1901 was approved.

Another blow to constitutional order would be dealt by Gerardo Machado y Morales, who in his dictatorial desire to remain in office dragged the country into a process of extending terms, which, along with crimes that characterized his unfortunate occupation of the nation’s highest leadership position, became the detonator of the revolutionary movement of the 1930s.

The Constitution of 1940 is the product of this struggle and represented a milestone not only in the legal sense, but politically as well.

No one doubts that the Constitution of 1940 was a good text, both in terms of its legal language and as a reflection of the nation’s most important aspirations at this historical moment.

There are two aspects of its drafting that merit special attention. Although the debates were broadcast live on radio, the text was never submitted to the consideration of the people, who did not have the opportunity to study it before it was approved, express opinions on the content, or propose modifications.

No formal referendum was held, again limiting Cubans’ right to express their approval or disapproval of the document via a direct, free, secret ballot vote.

While the 1940 Constitution had its merits, from the point of view of effective participation of the people, it cannot be considered exemplary in terms of the exercise of democratic rights. Similarly, the socio-economic advances it proposed never became a reality in the life of the country, since those in power never exhibited the will to take on this challenge. Thus, in the 11 years this constitution was in effect, it became an expression of the formula well known under colonialism as law that “governs” but is ignored.

Another question thus emerges: What is more democratic, what reflects effective exercise of democratic rights and empowerment? A process in which individuals are elected to write and approve a constitution, without listening to anyone else? Or on the contrary, one that puts a constitutional proposal developed by legitimately elected representatives into the hands of the people, to express their opinions, make modifications, advocate interests, request clarifications, etc. (which are all, without distinction, studied, analyzed, and considered by the standing committee charged with drafting the text) and once the proposal is again discussed and approved by the National Assembly, it is submitted to a referendum in which every elector expresses his or her position via a secret ballot vote?

The process of drafting the Constitution of 1976, just like the one currently underway, has the advantage of being based on popular consultation, a genuine expression of direct participation by the people in the exercise of power, with the entire nation becoming a constituent body with the opportunity to study, make proposals, request explanations of the text under consideration.

Unlike other countries, this is not the exclusive right of a limited group of persons meeting in a Constituent Assembly, who, despite their election by the people are only allowed to offer opinions. Noteworthy in these processes is the fact that representatives of organizations and political interests have access to the Constituent Assembly, and ensure that their needs take precedence over any popular interest, as the text is written.

With all due respect to the structures and procedures that each country establishes in this arena, Cubans have conceived our methods with the clear intention that the people must play an effective leading role in the drafting of the Constitution.

A few numbers from the popular discussion of the 1976 Constitution are relevant.

Some 6,216,981 persons participated in this popular discussion, contributing 12,883 modifications, 2,343 additions, 1,022 proposals, and 84 clarifications.

In the exercise of its sovereignty and independence, Cuba has defended a democracy in which decisions are made collectively and adopted by majority rule, with the direct and indirect participation of the greatest portion of its citizens.

Considering that one of the fundamental concepts of democracy is that decisions are made based on a broad consensus among those who will be affected, the greatest consensus possible is expressed by a majority supporting what is proposed.

Two essential elements provide an overarching guide to the constituent process, in terms of its democracy. The first being that the people who hold sovereign power have the opportunity to express themselves, and that their ideas about the proposed Constitution are taken into consideration, in a direct fashion, by consultation or popular discussion, and via their legitimately elected representatives. Second is the people’s right to express their approval or disapproval of the proposal, voting in a free, secret ballot referendum convoked for this purpose.

It is under these principles that the current reform process taking place in the country is being conducted, in accordance with Article 137 of the current Constitution, which indicates that the National Assembly of People’s Power is the only body with the authority to reform the Constitution, partially or entirely, as the supreme body of state power, composed of deputies elected by the people in a secret ballot vote, under the principle that the country’s sovereignty rests in the people, from which all state authority derives, exercised directly or through People’s Power Assemblies and affiliated bodies.

In this case, the Constitutional reform will be a total one, given the magnitude and scope of the changes to the text expected. These are based on the Guidelines and agreements from the Sixth and Seventh Party Congresses, which were submitted to a broad popular discussion, including the entire people regardless of Party affiliation, and subsequently approved by the National Assembly, and necessarily require an adequate reflection in the nation’s legal order.

Another aspect which must be noted is that the proposal being drafted will reaffirm the nation’s socialist character and the leading role of the Communist Party of Cuba. It must be recalled that a plebiscite was held June 10-17 of 2002, during which more than nine million citizens indicated with their signatures their support for a modification of the Constitution by the National Assembly, leading to its approval of Agreement No.V-74, the Constitutional Reform Law of July 26, 2002, which expressly establishes the socialist nature of Cuba’s political, social, and economic system, and prohibits negotiating with a foreign power under the threat of aggression or coercion of any kind.

The law establishes that any future constitutional text must abide by these principles, in accordance with the express will of the people.

On July 21, the National Assembly of People’s Power, as the only body with constituent and legislative authority, will discuss and approve the first draft of a proposed new Constitution of the Republic, submitted by the commission charged with this task, and establish procedures to begin a popular discussion of the text, in which the people will have the opportunity to see the proposed Constitution, make suggestions, propose modifications, and request clarifications.

All conditions have been created to collect these proposals, which will be carefully evaluated by the commission. Based on this input, this body will draft the final proposal, to be approved by the National Assembly in a roll call vote – that is each deputy will express his or her position out loud. Subsequently, the approved constitutional text will be submitted for citizens’ approval in a referendum convoked for this purpose.

Given Cubans’ commitment to our historical legacy, with so many years of struggle to preserve our independence and sovereignty, our loyalty to the homeland’s heroes and martyrs, our duty to present and future generations, and recalling Martí’s convictions, we are more aware than ever, as he taught us, that the sun has spots, but that the grateful see its light, and in this battle we will be united like a vein of silver in the Andes, and will fulfill our civic duty to reaffirm a revolutionary, socialist homeland, with all and for the good of all.

(Granma)

Army General Raúl Castro began his closing speech of the Constituent Session of the National Assembly of People’s Power by recalling Cuba’s victory at Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs) following the U.S.-backed mercenary invasion. He noted the significance of the event and the preceding days, especially Fidel’s declaration of the socialist nature of the Cuban Revolution.

He also recognized the work carried out by the electoral and candidature commissions at all levels, as well as all the institutions that collaborated to ensure a smooth electoral process. He also congratulated those elected to head the National Assembly and as members of the Council of the State.

MIGUEL DÍAZ-CANEL

Regarding Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the new President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba, highlighted his career as an engineer, and his work as an officer of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR). He was later put forward as a professional cadre of the Young Communist League (UJC), from where he gradually worked his way up through the PCC ranks to be promoted as a professional Party cadre.

Raúl noted that during the Special Period and coinciding with the most severe stage, Díaz-Canel was a member of the Provincial Party Committee in Villa Clara, where he spent nine years. He then spent six years representing the Party in Holguín.

“He was born in Villa Clara, where he spent a good amount of time, as it was a territory he knew well; and it was after that that he was sent to one of the great eastern provinces, Holguín, as we did with more than a dozen young people, most of whom arrived to the Political Bureau, but we failed to materialize their training. He was the only survivor, I would say, exaggeratedly,” Raúl explained.

He also stressed that Díaz-Canel has been a member of the Party Central Committee since 1991, and was promoted to the Political Bureau 15 years ago. He fulfilled a mission in Nicaragua and graduated from the National Defense College. In 2009, he was appointed Minister of Education. Five years ago he was elected First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers; and since then “a group of members of the Political Bureau had the feeling that we had hit the nail on the head,” Raúl noted, referring to Díaz’s aptitude to assume the current position, as the basis of which he highlighted his work as in the ideological sphere of the Party Central Committee.

Raúl added: Talking with compañero Machado, I told him that we have to criticize ourselves, because we failed to guarantee the better training of other comrades so that they could occupy leadership positions in the Party and the government. I told him that, at 15 years old, [Díaz-Canel] could have spent 3 years in 5 provinces of the country, so that he would know each better. Thus, we must pay more attention to the training of our cadres.

Raúl immediately pointed out that the election of Díaz-Canel is no accident: “due to his preparation, he is the best, and we know that due to his dedication he will have absolute success in the task entrusted to him by our supreme People’s Power body.”

Comrade Díaz-Canel is not an improvised candidate; over the years he has demonstrated his work capacity, ideological solidity and commitment to the Revolution. His growth has not been the result of haste. His case has not been like others, where we made the mistake of accelerating the process, Raúl stressed.

THE NEW COUNCIL OF STATE

Referring to the composition of the newly elected Council of State, Raúl spoke about Salvador Valdés Mesa, of whom he highlighted his intense career serving the Revolution, and noted how the triumph of 1959 caught him by surprise, working on an agricultural farm. He was one of the young people who participated in the constitution of the Young Communist League, of which he became Secretary General; and he participated in the construction of the United Party of the Cuban Socialist Revolution in several areas of Camagüey.

In 1995, he was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Security. He gradually rose to become Secretary General of the Cuban Workers Federation (CTC), a position he held until 2013, when he was elected a Vice President of the Council of State. He has been a member of the Party Central Committee since 1991 and the Political Bureau for the past 10 years.

Regarding Machado, who has seen more than 60 years of revolutionary struggle, Raúl simply noted that he is an example of modesty and unlimited dedication to his work. “Although he is a little cantankerous as many of you know,” he joked, and added that “in the future he will concentrate his efforts as Second Secretary of the Central Committee.”

Mercedes López Acea deserved a special mention, Raúl noted, who after a commendable 8 years’ work as a member of the Political Bureau and at the head of the PCC in Havana, announced that she would soon take up new functions.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PEOPLE’S POWER

A total of 42% of deputies to the newly constituted National Assembly of People’s Power were re-elected. Women represent 48.4% of deputies. Both these details were highlighted by Raúl, who stressed that such achievements must be maintained and advanced, to ensure more women, young people and Black and mixed race Cubans occupy the country’s important decision-making positions.

“This Assembly is an example, we can review the résumé of each one of them, but it cost work. That’s why we can not retreat a single millimeter; and it is a subject that we can not leave to simple spontaneity.”

Raúl also highlighted that the Cuban parliament has been rejuvenated, with the average age of deputies having decreased. “Without realizing it, the years have passed. Three women were elected vice presidents of the Council of State, two of them Black, and not because of their skin color but because of their qualities; and this is part of what was adopted in the Party Congress on the cadre policy.”

“It is up to the Party, the state and the government to fulfill and enforce, with due intentionality, the promotion of young people, women and mixed race Cubans, to posts that guarantee the talent pool of the Revolution, without repeating the mistakes already experienced,” he explained.

Raúl welcomed the ratification of the presidency of the National Assembly, and Díaz-Canel’s proposal, as allowed by the Constitution, to present the Council of Ministers during the next session of the Assembly, which will take place in July, to allow sufficient time for the movement of cadre.

“As far as I am concerned, I will continue to serve as Second Secretary of the PCC Central Committee, in what is my second and last mandate, which ends in 2021, when we will complete the transfer to the new generations. From then on, I will be one more soldier alongside the people defending this Revolution.”

“So that there is not the slightest doubt, I want to emphasize that the PCC, in the figure of its First Secretary, will continue supporting the president,” the Army General added.

“We feel with the people a deep satisfaction for the work of the Revolution, and we are overwhelmed by the happiness and confidence of seeing with our own eyes the transfer to the new generations of the mission to defend this work,” he stressed.

CUBAN YOUTH AT THE CENTER

Regarding the new generations, Raúl warned that one of the permanent aims of the enemy is to penetrate, confuse and alienate youth from the ideals of revolutionary work and culture, to lead them toward the commodification of sentiments and disengagement with ethics, solidarity and a sense of duty.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION

The updating of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba was another subject of the Army General’s speech. He noted that the changes that will be introduced will be submitted to a public referendum.

“I can reveal,” he clarified, “that in the next Constitution there will be no changes to the strategic objective of the Party, which our people will support as in 1976.” That year Cubans voted in favor of the current Constitution with 98% support.

Raúl pointed out that in the Central Committee Plenary Session held in March of this year, the economic and social state of the nation was analyzed. The new Constitution has lagged behind us, he clarified, because the country’s main problems are not resolved, because the participation of different bodies from the grassroots was not achieved for the adequate implementation of the adopted policies.

We never had any illusions that it would be a short and easy process, because its dimensions reached all sectors of society, and we had to overcome negatives in the national economy, he added.

During the 5th Party Central Committee Plenum, the need to reform the Constitution according to what has happened in the political and social order was noted. For this reason, Raúl informed that, in its next session, the National Assembly will create a Commission of deputies that will present a draft text to be debated by deputies and the Cuban people.

THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC LIFE

In the case of the socioeconomic context of the nation, Raúl assured that the experiment with non-agricultural cooperatives will continue, and with respect to the country’s dual currency system, he explained that it continues to be a serious headache, and needs to be resolved, while also noting the need for wage reform. Raúl also emphasized the need for a coherent communications policy.

He also recalled the difficult circumstances in which the country’s economy has had to develop, and the considerable damages caused by the intense drought of the last 3 years and the recent hurricanes that affected most of the country.

Regarding Cuba’s external debt, Raúl noted that work has been ongoing to renegotiate in this area, which has helped to free new generations of a sword of Damocles, and restored the country’s credit rating. The Army General congratulated Minister of Economy, Ricardo Cabrisas, on his work in this regard.

Raúl also called for financial savings, noting that better planning could assist in this respect.

“Defending unity, resisting and resisting, that is the duty of revolutionaries,” he stated.

8TH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS

Regarding foreign policy issues, the Army General referred to the recently concluded 8th Summit of the Americas, which was marked by the neo-hegemonic attitude of the United States, whose commitment to the Monroe Doctrine was reiterated, especially with the exclusion of Venezuela from the international event.

It was known that they would put on a show, and Cuba went to Lima in its own right and with its head high, which confirms the determination of Cubans to defend their principles and their values, Raúl stressed. The Cuban delegation, together with that of Bolivia and other countries, prevented the formation of a single front against Venezuela. While the speeches by our foreign minister, on behalf of the Cuban government and people, constituted a worthy response to the interventionist discourse of the Vice President of the United States, he added.

“The civil society members defended the voice of Cuba and the peoples of America with spirit. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the members of the Cuban delegation that participated in this event,” he said.

The Army General stressed Cuba’s commitment to ALBA, noting that this continues to be the world region with the greatest inequality in the distribution of wealth; the gap between rich and poor is huge and growing despite the efforts made in past decades, when progressive governments pushed for policies to mitigate this evil, he noted.

He also denounced the arbitrary and unjust incarceration of former Brazilian president Lula, whose freedom we demand, and rejected accusations of human rights violations in Cuba. He highlighted diplomatic relations with the European Union and the progress of ties with China.

“In just 11 days our people will march together united through our streets and squares commemorating May Day and demonstrating the majority support of Cubans to the Party and their Revolution. And although I had a commitment to be in another province, I decided, because of its importance, to accompany the President of the Councils of State and Ministers at that moment. I will later visit other provinces, because I’m supposed to have less work now,” Raúl concluded among smiles and applause.

On the morning of April 19, a historic date on which not only is the first defeat of Yankee imperialism in the Americas commemorated, but Cuba also sees the inauguration of a new government that makes evident the continuity of the new generations with the legacy of the historic generation that founded the Cuban Revolution in the highest leadership positions of the country, compañero Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, offered his first speech as President of the Councils of State and of Ministers of Cuba.

He began by recognizing the leadership of Army General Raúl Castro, the candidate for deputy to have received the most votes in the recent general elections; as well as the Comandantes of the Revolution, “who on being in this room offer us the opportunity to embrace history,” he noted.

He also referred to the “dark attempts to destroy us” of those who have not been able to destroy “our faith.”

With the inauguration of this new legislature, he emphasized, the electoral process comes to its conclusion. The Cuban people, who have massively participated throughout, are conscious of its historic importance. They have elected their representatives based on their capacity to represent their localities, without media campaigns, corruption or demagoguery. Citizens have elected humble, hard-working people as their genuine representatives, who will participate in the approval and implementation of the country’s policies.

In his opinion, “This process has contributed to the consolidation of unity in Cuba.”

On the people’s expectations about this government, he stressed that the new Council of State must continue “acting, creating and working tirelessly, in a permanent bond with its dignified people.”

He also added that if anyone wanted to see Cuba in all its composition, it would be enough to look to its National Assembly, with women occupying decisive positions in the state and the government. However, he warned, it does not matter how much we resemble the country we are, if the commitment the present and the future of Cuba is lacking. The raison d’être of the Councils of State and Ministers is the permanent link with the population.

THE FLAG OF THE REVOLUTION IS PASSED ON TO YOUNGER HANDS

Díaz-Canel pointed out that during the closing of the last Party Congress, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz made it clear that his generation would hand over the flags of the Revolution and Socialism to the younger generations. This emphasizes the importance of the crucial mandate given by the people to this legislature, and as such its work in all areas of the nation’s life must be perfected.

“I assume this responsibility with the conviction that all we revolutionaries, from any trench, will be faithful to Fidel and Raúl, the current leader of the revolutionary process,” the new President of Cuba stated.

He then stressed that the men and women who forged the revolution “give us the keys to a new fraternity that transforms us into compañeros and compañeras,” and highlighted, as another inherited achievement, the unity that has become indestructible within the Cuban Party, that was not born from the fragmentation of others, but from those who intended to build a better country.

For that reason, he said, “Raúl remains at the forefront of the political vanguard. He remains our First Secretary, as the reference that he is for the revolutionary cause, teaching and always ready to confront imperialism, like the first, with his rifle at the ready in the moment of combat.”

Regarding the revolutionary and political work of the Army General, he highlighted his legacy of resistance and in the search for the continued advancement of the nation. “He put his sense of duty ahead of human pain,” he said in reference to the loss of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro on November 25, 2016.

Likewise, he highlighted Raúl’s grandeur as a statesman, forming a national consensus, and the manner in which he led the implementation process of the country’s social and economic guidelines. He also highlighted how he had made the return of the Five Cuban Heroes a reality, so longed-for by Fidel.

Raúl has marked Cuba’s international relations with his own spirit: he directed diplomatic relations with the United States; he led the rotating presidency of CELAC; Cuba’s hosting of the Colombian peace talks; and he has been present in all regional and hemispheric summits, always defending Our America. That is the Raúl we know, Díaz-Canel stressed.

The new Cuban President also recalled how the Army General, still very young, participated in the Granma expedition, undertook the struggle in the Sierra Maestra, was promoted to Comandante, and developed government experiences that would be applied in the country after the revolutionary triumph.

REGARDING THE NEW MANDATE

I am aware of the concerns and expectations at a moment like this, but I know the strength and wisdom of the people, the leadership of the Party, the ideas of Fidel, the presence of Raúl and Machado, and knowing the popular sentiment, I state before this Assembly that compañero Raúl will head the decisions for the present and future of the nation, Díaz noted.

I confirm that Cuban foreign policy will remain unchanged. Cuba will not accept conditions. The changes that are necessary will continue to be made by the Cuban people, he added.

He also called for the support of all those who occupy leadership responsibilities at different levels in the nation, but, above all, of the people. “We will have to exercise an increasingly collective leadership. Strengthening the participation of the people,” he summarized.

I do not come to promise anything, as the Revolution never has in all these years. I come to fulfill the program that we have implemented with the guidelines of Socialism and the Revolution, the President underlined.

And as for the enemies of the revolutionary process, he said: Here there is no space for a transition that ignores or destroys the work of the Revolution. We will continue moving forward without fear and without retreat; without renouncing our sovereignty, independence, development programs, and independence.

“To those who through ignorance or bad faith doubt our commitment, we must tell them that the Revolution continues and will continue,” he clarified, adding: “The world has received the wrong message that the Revolution ends with its guerrillas.”

(Granma)

11:40 -. President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, is currently a trending topic on Twitter.

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11:00 -. President of Panamá, Juan Carlos Varela, congratulates the new President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

Photo: Twitter
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10:40 -. Army General and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Raúl Castro Ruz, takes to the podium.

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10:35-. Miguel Díaz-Canel: I assume this responsibility with the conviction that all we revolutionaries will be faithful to Fidel and Raúl

On the morning of April 19, a historic date on which not only is the first defeat of Yankee imperialism in the Americas commemorated, but Cuba also sees the inauguration of a new government that makes evident the continuity of the new generations with the legacy of the historic generation that founded the Cuban Revolution in the highest leadership positions of the country, compañero Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, offered his first speech as President of the Councils of State and of Ministers of Cuba.

He began by recognizing the leadership of Army General Raúl Castro, the candidate for deputy to have received the most votes in the recent general elections; as well as the Comandantes of the Revolution, “who on being in this room offer us the opportunity to embrace history,” he noted.

He also referred to the “dark attempts to destroy us” of those who have not been able to destroy “our faith.”

With the inauguration of this new legislature, he emphasized, the electoral process comes to its conclusion. The Cuban people, who have massively participated throughout, are conscious of its historic importance. They have elected their representatives based on their capacity to represent their localities, without media campaigns, corruption or demagoguery. Citizens have elected humble, hard-working people as their genuine representatives, who will participate in the approval and implementation of the country’s policies.

In his opinion, “This process has contributed to the consolidation of unity in Cuba.”

On the people’s expectations about this government, he stressed that the new Council of State must continue “acting, creating and working tirelessly, in a permanent bond with its dignified people.”

He also added that if anyone wanted to see Cuba in all its composition, it would be enough to look to its National Assembly, with women occupying decisive positions in the state and the government. However, he warned, it does not matter how much we resemble the country we are, if the commitment the present and the future of Cuba is lacking. The raison d’être of the Councils of State and Ministers is the permanent link with the population.

THE FLAG OF THE REVOLUTION IS PASSED ON TO YOUNGER HANDS

Díaz-Canel pointed out that during the closing of the last Party Congress, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz made it clear that his generation would hand over the flags of the Revolution and Socialism to the younger generations. This emphasizes the importance of the crucial mandate given by the people to this legislature, and as such its work in all areas of the nation’s life must be perfected.

“I assume this responsibility with the conviction that all we revolutionaries, from any trench, will be faithful to Fidel and Raúl, the current leader of the revolutionary process,” the new President of Cuba stated.

He then stressed that the men and women who forged the revolution “give us the keys to a new fraternity that transforms us into compañeros and compañeras,” and highlighted, as another inherited achievement, the unity that has become indestructible within the Cuban Party, that was not born from the fragmentation of others, but from those who intended to build a better country.

For that reason, he said, “Raúl remains at the forefront of the political vanguard. He remains our First Secretary, as the reference that he is for the revolutionary cause, teaching and always ready to confront imperialism, like the first, with his rifle at the ready in the moment of combat.”

Regarding the revolutionary and political work of the Army General, he highlighted his legacy of resistance and in the search for the continued advancement of the nation. “He put his sense of duty ahead of human pain,” he said in reference to the loss of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro on November 25, 2016.

Likewise, he highlighted Raúl’s grandeur as a statesman, forming a national consensus, and the manner in which he led the implementation process of the country’s social and economic guidelines. He also highlighted how he had made the return of the Five Cuban Heroes a reality, so longed-for by Fidel.

Raúl has marked Cuba’s international relations with his own spirit: he directed diplomatic relations with the United States; he led the rotating presidency of CELAC; Cuba’s hosting of the Colombian peace talks; and he has been present in all regional and hemispheric summits, always defending Our America. That is the Raúl we know, Díaz-Canel stressed.

The new Cuban President also recalled how the Army General, still very young, participated in the Granma expedition, undertook the struggle in the Sierra Maestra, was promoted to Comandante, and developed government experiences that would be applied in the country after the revolutionary triumph.

REGARDING THE NEW MANDATE

I am aware of the concerns and expectations at a moment like this, but I know the strength and wisdom of the people, the leadership of the Party, the ideas of Fidel, the presence of Raúl and Machado, and knowing the popular sentiment, I state before this Assembly that compañero Raúl will head the decisions for the present and future of the nation, Díaz noted.

I confirm that Cuban foreign policy will remain unchanged. Cuba will not accept conditions. The changes that are necessary will continue to be made by the Cuban people, he added.

He also called for the support of all those who occupy leadership responsibilities at different levels in the nation, but, above all, of the people. “We will have to exercise an increasingly collective leadership. Strengthening the participation of the people,” he summarized.

I do not come to promise anything, as the Revolution never has in all these years. I come to fulfill the program that we have implemented with the guidelines of Socialism and the Revolution, the President underlined.

And as for the enemies of the revolutionary process, he said: Here there is no space for a transition that ignores or destroys the work of the Revolution. We will continue moving forward without fear and without retreat; without renouncing our sovereignty, independence, development programs, and independence.

“To those who through ignorance or bad faith doubt our commitment, we must tell them that the Revolution continues and will continue,” he clarified, adding: “The world has received the wrong message that the Revolution ends with its guerrillas.”

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9:45 -. Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez offers his first speech as President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba.

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9:33 -. Salvador Valdés Mesa is approved as First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba.

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9:32 -. Deputies approve the proposal to constitute the Council of Ministers in the next session of the National Assembly.

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9:30 -. Miguel Díaz-Canel expresses his thanks for the confidence placed in him by the Cuban people and explains that the next step of the electoral process is the presentation of the Council of Ministers, which he proposes should be constituted in the next session of the National Assembly of People’s Power.

He proposes Salvador Valdés Mesa, First Vice President of the Council of State, as First Vice President of the Council of Ministers, in order to maintain the Revolution’s historic unity, and given that comrade Salvador Valdés has sufficient merits to assume both responsibilities.

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9:28 -. Raúl congratulates Díaz-Canel, the new President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba

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9:22 a.m The new Council of State of the Republic of Cuba was elected, with each member securing more than 50% of the votes.

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9:12 a.m. The session resumes:

Esteban Lazo, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power, invites Alina Balseiro, president of the National Electoral Commission, to report the results of the vote that took place yesterday to elect the Council of State. All deputies present exercised their right to vote and their ballots were all valid, states Alina. The results were as follows:

Voting for all candidates on the slate: 602 ballot papers

Voting for selected candidates on the slate: 2 ballot papers

President: Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez: 603 votes (99.83%)

First Vice President: Salvador Valdés Mesa: 604 votes (100%)

Vice President: Ramiro Valdés Menéndez: 604 votes (100%)

Vice President: Roberto Tomás Morales Ojeda: 604 votes (100%)

Vice President: Gladys María Bejerano Portela: 604 votes (100%)

Vice President: Inés María Chapman: 604 votes (100%)

Vice President: Beatriz Jhonson: 603 votes (99.83%)

Members re-elected to the Council of State:

Leopoldo Cintra Frías: 604 votes (100%)

Teresa Maria Amarelle Boué: 603 votes (99.83%)

Ulises Guilarte de Nacimeinto: 604 votes (100%)

Mirian Nicado García: 604 votes (100%)

Guillermo García Frías: 604 votes (100%)

Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla: 604 votes (100%)

Martha del Carmen Mesa Valenciana: 604 votes (100%)

Carlos Rafael Miranda Martínez: 604 votes (100%)

Susely Morfa González: 604 votes (100%)

Rafael Antonio Santiestebán: 604 votes (100%)

Miguel Ángel Barnet: 604 votes (100%)

Ileana Amparo Flores Morales: 604 votes (100%)

New members of the Council of State:

Raúl Alejandro Palmero Fernández: 603 votes (99.83%)

Jorge Amador Berlanga Acosta: 603 votes (99.83%)

Yipsy Moreno González: 603 votes (99.83%)

Elizabeth Peña: 604 votes (100%)

Yoerkys Sánchez Cuellar: 603 votes (99.83%)

Ivis Niuba Villa Milán: 604 votes (100%)

Barbara Alexis Terry: 603 votes (99.83%)

Reina Salermo Escalona: 603 votes (99.83%)

Rosalina Fournier Frómeta: 603 votes (99.83%)

Carlos Alberto Martínez Blanco: 603 votes (99.83%)

Felicia Martínez Suarez: 603 votes (99.83%)

8:30-. The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, on Wednesday expressed his support and congratulations on the nomination of Miguel Díaz-Canel as the new President of Cuba, to replace the current head of state, Raúl Castro.

“I’m going to visit compañero Miguel Díaz-Canel soon to shake his hand. All our support to Miguel Diaz-Canel, all the support to Cuba, all the gratitude to Raúl,” Maduro stated on a live broadcast on Facebook.

In this regard, he thanked Cuba and President Raúl Castro for their support in the face of the constant imperialist attacks against the South American nation.

“Greetings to compañero Raúl Castro Ruz, because he has led Cuba impeccably during all these years. Impeccable. My greetings and my gratitude Raúl,” Maduro stressed during the broadcast alongside Venezuelan Executive Vice President, Tareck El Aissami.

(Granma)

Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, recently elected as President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba, was a leader of the Young Communist League (UJC), undertook a mission in Nicaragua, served as First Secretary of the Party in the provinces of Villa Clara and Holguín, and as Minister of Education, a vice president of the Council of Ministers and first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba.

This Thursday, April 19, Granma opens its archives to bring you a series of images by its photographers that reflect key moments in the political career of Cuban President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.

From 1989 to 1993, Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez held various responsibilities within the Young Communist League (UJC). He served as First Secretary of the UJC Provincial Committee in Villa Clara and then Second Secretary of the organization’s National Committee. This photograph was taken on December 25, 1992.

(Granma)

This April 18-19 marked a new stage in the generational continuity of the leadership of the country, the beginning of a historic period that will see new economic, political and social development challenges. Continuity has been a natural process in Cuban society throughout the Revolution. The challenges faced and their solutions have been widely debated by Cubans, providing evidence of popular participation in the political decisions of the nation.

Those offered below are not the only challenges that Cuba will face in the coming period, in which the role of young people will be fundamental, as the historic leader of the Revolution told us so many times. What follows is a brief look at the challenges facing this land of indomitable men and women, rebels and revolutionaries, which summarize the results of the analysis undertaken by the people themselves: workers, campesinos, students, intellectuals… in different spaces.

Cuba has outlined its path forward. Only the Cuban people can decide on their future. But nothing can be achieved without efficiency, discipline, effective control, and the commitment to the future of the homeland of all.

SOCIAL DIMENSION

Development and implementation of the third improvement process in education to continue work to raise the quality of education, teacher training, incentives for educators, work-study links, and the digitalization of education. Train competent professionals, committed to the Revolution – according to the needs of the country and each province – who promote critical and creative thinking, on the basis of social transformation.

Shape values in our society – of social justice, responsibility, integrity, anti-imperialism, and internationalism, love of the Homeland, justice, humanism, solidarity, the defense of the rights of all citizens, and challenge all forms of discrimination and violence – with integrated school-family-community work playing a fundamental role.

Continue to improve the public health system and undertake the necessary actions in the third stage of its perfecting, to achieve service quality and satisfaction objectives, improve the health of the population, as well as the efficiency and sustainability of the system, working conditions, and attention to health care personnel.

Continue to guarantee access to culture and sports, promoting artistic appreciation from an early age, the promotion of reading, the enrichment of historical memory, the defense of our identity, and the mass practice of physical and recreational activities.

Design differentiated policies for the specific care of vulnerable groups of the population, in order to avoid social inequalities incompatible with our social system.

Guarantee protection for the older population, through a comprehensive analysis that promotes their quality of life, and economic and social inclusion. Promote actions and mechanisms that encourage fertility.

Strengthen and promote public policies aimed at the comprehensive development of Cuban youth, their achievements, personal and professional fulfillment.

Confront and respond in a differentiated manner to social phenomena such as human trafficking, drug use, and prostitution – with a focus on prevention, training, and care for victims – as these have no place in our society.

Safeguard our national defense and security, guaranteeing the continuity and development of the doctrine of the War of the Entire People. Guarantee the protection and security of citizens, in a climate of safety and internal order; challenging corruption, different forms of crime and enemy activity, as well as other antisocial behaviors.

Ensure the preservation and care of the environment, based on conservation and rational use of natural resources.

Promote the development of science, technology, and innovation, based on the stimulation of scientific research and the application of its results, with an impact on the economic and social progress of the nation.

Develop information and communications technologies, and digitalization, to contribute to active citizen participation.

ECONOMIC DIMENSION

Guarantee Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, on the basis of higher levels of productivity and efficiency in all sectors of the economy, to generate an increase in wealth that can be fairly distributed, in correspondence with work done.

Advance in the perfecting of the state enterprise system, to develop companies with greater autonomy, effectiveness, and competitiveness.

Increase exports and substitute imports.

Increase and stabilize the supply of goods and services to the population and their quality.

Guarantee the growth and diversification of tourism, which will boost the economy and increase income and earnings, based on the training of human resources, and the quality/price ratio.

Develop industry, prioritizing those sectors that boost the economy or contribute to its structural transformation, including the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, as one of the activities with the greatest export capacity.

Develop agro-industrial production in all its branches, which has an impact on the economy, and increases supplies and the satisfaction of the population, in terms of prices, quality, and stability.

Achieve the recovery and conservation of current housing, as well as the construction of new housing, under the principle that the entire population requires decent conditions in which to live. Increase construction efficiency and develop the construction materials industry.

Consolidate foreign investment in essential sectors of the economy, as an active and fundamental source of development and access to capital, technologies, markets, and managerial experience.

Expand work in the non-state sector, as another employment alternative.

Advance in the implementation of the policy for unification of the dual currency and exchange rate, and guarantee the coherence of monetary, credit, price, exchange and fiscal policies, with the fundamental objective of preserving the monetary function of the national currency.

Transform the energy matrix with greater use of renewable sources and other national energy resources.

Develop and maintain the country’s water distribution infrastructure and the necessary savings culture.

Perfect and guarantee the quality and development of services associated with transportation, both in the state and non-state sectors.

Recover, preserve, modernize, and expand infrastructure in general, as an essential support for development.

POLITICAL DIMENSION

Consolidate an agile, effective, and efficient system of public administration, which must include, among other factors, the perfecting of People’s Power bodies and popular participation in all spheres.

Strengthen the internal and external accounting system, as well as popular control.

Guarantee the correct implementation of the state’s social communication policy.

Promote territorial and community development, based on the strengthening of planning and management capacities, the participation of social actors, and alliances between state entities.

Promote the international integration of Cuba in global and regional economic processes. Continue to demand the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade.

Intensify the struggle for the return of the territory illegally occupied by the U.S. Naval Base in the province of Guantánamo.

SOURCES: Conceptualization of the Cuban Economic and Social Model of Socialist Development. National Social and Economic Development Plan through 2030: Vision of the Nation, Axes, and Strategic Sectors. Economic and Social Policy Guidelines of the Party and the Revolution for the period 2016-2021.

(Granma)

Central topics of ongoing interest discussed were essential aspects of the composition of the Commission and its function, as well as the culmination of the process set to take place April 18-19, with the constitution of the National Assembly of People’s Power 9th Legislature and the election of the Council of State.

This online encounter, to which Youth Computer Clubs across the country contributed, was further evidence of the importance given these issues, as was the enthusiastic, responsible participation of the population, first to elect delegates to Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power, and more recently, deputies to the National Assembly.

Who are the Commission’s members and how are they selected?

Jorge Misas Hernández (JMH) Member of the National Candidatures Commission (CCN): National Candidatures Commission are composed of representatives from our country’s mass organizations: the Federation of Cuban Workers (CTC), the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, the Federation of Cuban Women, the National Association of Small Farmers, the Federation of University Students, and the Federation of Secondary School Students.

Reinier Cruz González (RCG). CCN member: The Commission is presided at all levels by a representative from the CTC, and its members are named by their respective national, provincial, or municipal leadership bodies, as requested by Electoral Commissions at the different levels.

It would be important to understand what legal framework guides the CNN and how it works.

Alfredo Machado López (AML). Vice President of the National Candidatures Commission: Law 72, the Electoral Law, defines the composition of the Candidature Commissions and their functions. In the democratic order, they have a very special mission, not always fully understood by our people, which consists of developing a broad pool – based on proposals from leadership bodies of the mass organizations that comprise the commissions and from nominations made in our neighborhoods – from which candidates for delegate to Provincial Assemblies of People’s Power, and for deputy to the National Assembly, are selected.

Likewise, our (National) Commission undertakes an extensive process of consultation with the deputy candidates, and later deputies, accompanying them on their visits to communities, work places, and schools. We listen to them and consider their opinions on who should be part of the National Assembly’s Presidency and the Council of State, so that before the presentation of the proposals, widespread, meticulous work has been done with thousands of men and women of proven merit, ability, and commitment to the people and the Revolution.

How different is the functioning of this Candidature Commission from those of other countries, and how much time do you have to complete and authenticate the process?

AML: Our Candidature Commissions carry out, more or less, the role that in other countries political parties carry out – leaving obvious differences aside – but their membership, consisting of representatives from mass organizations in which almost the entire population is included, allows us to all feel present.

Our term began on June 30, of 2017, and through the different stages of the process, we worked on more than 12,000 proposals, and I can assure you that what takes place in the leadership bodies to come up with their definitive proposals is far from a formality. There is a democratic component that would be hard to see in any other country.

If you add to this that constituency delegates are nominated and elected in neighborhoods, and that the National Assembly can include up to 50% of these grassroots delegates, and that all the country’s municipalities are represented by at least two deputies, I would dare to assure you that it is highly unlikely that anything like this happens anyplace else.

Could you summarize the process of electing the President and other national leaders?

JMH & RCG: As stipulated in the Electoral Law cited, Law 72, this April 18, the President, First Vice President, Vice Presidents, Secretary and other members of the Council of State are elected in indirect elections, that is, the deputies elected by the people approve the candidature and then, with a secret ballot, vote for these compañeras and compañeros, selected from among the 12,000 proposals made in 970 plenums of mass organization leadership bodies.

How will the people be informed of what occurs on April 18-19?

AML: Our people will be informed, on a timely basis, ofwhat occurs during the session’s proceedings and all of the relevant details. The men and women elected to different responsibilities will also be announced, that is the President of the National Assembly, its Vice President and Secretary, as well as the composition of the Council of State.

I can assure you that the 605 deputies who make up our National Assembly are the product of arduous work by the Candidature Commissions at all levels, already explained, and that they have all the merits and abilities needed to represent us honorably in parliament.

To what degree were youth represented at the different levels you mentioned?

AML: Our communications media have provided broad coverage on the characteristics of the deputies, and we can say that a good pool exists, in which there are more than 80 youth between 18 and 35 years of age, to which we can add others not quite so young, who were born with the Revolution, as a group representing 89.25% of the 605 deputies.
Along with this, the consultation process explained, to gather opinions on this and other issues, allows us to indicate with full confidence that, in this historic session, we have the men and women who constitute the firmest and most loyal expression of the continuity of the revolutionary process we are constructing.

Are the nominations for the Presidency made by deputies in the Assembly or is the candidature as a while presented.

JMH & RCG: As we have been explaining, deputies to the 9th Legislature were consulted individually by the CCN during the month of March, to gather their proposals for members of the National Assembly’s leadership and the Council of State, including for the latter, its President, First Vice President, Vice Presidents, and Secretary.

All are among the deputies elected by the people in different provinces, and therefore have the right to be included on the candidature slate that our Commission will present to the April 18 session.

Alden Rafael Sánchez Sanjudo Ramírez (ARSR) CCN member: It’s important to clarify that these elections are conducted separately. First will be the vote to constitute the National Assembly with its new leadership, and then the proposed slate for the Council of State, prepared by our Commission, will be presented to the deputies.

Upon presenting this proposal that reflects the opinions of the deputies themselves, the Assembly President informs deputies of their right to partially or totally amend it. Next, the candidature is submitted for approval, and once it is approved by a majority of the deputies present, it becomes the list of candidates to elect the Council of State.

This vote tally is conducted by the National Electoral Commission and it is the president of this body who announces the results of the direct, secret ballot vote, and declares elected, to the proposed position, those who receive more than 50% of the valid votes cast. In the event that one of the candidates does not obtain the required number of votes, a new proposal is made by the CCN and another election is held.

After two hours of interaction with the population, led by the President of the National Candidature Commission, Gisela María Duarte Vázquez, readers added to the discussion with commentaries online, recognizing electoral authorities, supporting elected deputies, and expressing confidence that the National Assembly’s new leadership and the Council of State, will preserve the work of Fidel and Raúl.

(Granma)

The new provincial lawmakers will sit for a five year term in each of the island’s 15 provinces

Last March 11, over 7 million Cubans, nearly 86 percent of the electorate, voted for 1,265 delegates to provincial assemblies, as well as for 605 lawmakers to the National Parliament which will open its 9th Legislature on April 19.

According to the island’s Constitution, which was passed by referendum in 1976, provincial legislative bodies are entrusted with fulfilling and have fulfilled laws of the land, pass and supervise the implementation of local budgets, elect and remove the speaker and its deputy.

(Prensa Latina)