The complexities and objective conditions that make monetary and exchange rate re-ordering essential, were explained recently by Marino Murillo Jorge, Party Political Bureau member and head of the Policy Guidelines Implementation Commission, and Alejandro Gil Fernández, deputy prime minister and minister of Economy and Planning, during an appearance on the Mesa Redonda Cuban television program.

The first thing made clear was that the country’s monetary and currency exchange structure has an interdisciplinary and transversal character; its re-ordering includes monetary and exchange rate unification, the elimination of unwarranted subsidies and the provision of some goods and services free of, as well as transformation of salaries. The process is a necessity that cannot be postponed and an essential prerequisite to advancing implementation of the country’s economic strategy.

Introducing his presentation, Gil Fernández recalled the statement made by the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, during the closing of the tenth ordinary session of the National Assembly, in December of 2017, “Although the elimination of the dual currency and exchange rate, in and of itself, will not magically solve all the problems accumulated in the Cuban economy, but it constitutes the process that is most decisive to the updating of the Cuban economic model, given the impact it will have in all spheres of the nation’s economic and social affairs. Without resolving this, it is difficult to move forward properly.

“We must find ways to overcome existing distortions in subsidies, wholesale and retail prices and fees, and, of course, pensions and salaries in the state sector, while at the same time unifying the monetary system.”

The Minister noted that the Cuban state sector has achieved a certain level of development, thanks to strategic work that has been conducted over the last several years, and insisted on the importance of creating productive chains, including both the state and non-state sectors under similar conditions, and providing incentives to encourage exports.

This process has a transversal character within the economy, Murillo Jorge reiterated, and requires working with care and technical rigor on each of the proposals. With this objective in mind, 14 working subgroups are functioning, he said, with the participation of more than 200 colleagues from different organizations and academic institutions.

“We have even consulted international experiences. This is the first time we have addressed these issues in public, and this is not sufficient, we will need to explain and clarify the process little by little, along the way.”

“What we will report now are initial ideas about the process of the monetary re-ordering. We ask (the population) for understanding; not everything can be said today. This is a necessary process that also implies risks,” he said.

WHY IS MONETARY RE-STRUCTURING SO CRUCIAL?

In response to this question, the leader of the Policy Guidelines Implementation Commission pointed out that Cuba faces a very difficult monetary environment, which prevents the economy from functioning naturally and leads to its administrative management. The specific problems noted included:

-Deformations in the establishment of prices (Clear market signals do not reach producers)

- Serious salary problems (increases delayed over a long period of time, leading to the implementation of measures that, at the time, were positive, but represented only partial, not comprehensive, solutions)

-Inefficiency in the enterprise system that must be taken into account.

-Problems in providing incentive to increase exports.

-Macroeconomic imbalances in the economy (high fiscal deficits, which we were obliged to approve, making state budget transfers to the enterprise system is very high, a pattern which must be reversed).

-Comparing Cuba’s economy to the rest of the world is difficult.

-All of this generates a significant institutional burden.

“The institutional framework that the dual monetary system has generated cannot be resolved in a short period of time since it affects people. Cuban society has always been very equitable, and shock therapies, high unemployment rates, among other extreme measures, are not an option,” Murillo Jorge insisted.

He pointed out that this process had antecedents within the Guidelines approved during the Sixth and Seventh Party Congresses:

-Sixth Congress, Guideline No. 55: Progress will be made toward monetary unification, taking into account the productivity of labor and the effectiveness of distributive and redistributive mechanisms (…)

-Seventh Congress, Guideline No. 40: Conclude the process of monetary and exchange rate unification as a decisive step in the country’s monetary re-ordering.

We have been immersed in this process almost ten years, he said.

WHAT IS THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE PROCESS IS UNFOLDING?

The world crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has created tensions in the economy at the global level, thus, from both the macro and microeconomic point of view, the need to take decisive action to advance in updating the economic country’s model cannot be postponed.

“It is not possible to continue advancing in transformations of the economy if the re-structuring is not completed,” Murillo Jorge said.

WHAT ELEMENTS DOES MONETARY RE-ORDERING INCLUDE?

The process includes four fundamental elements:

01. Monetary unification.

02. Exchange rate unification.

03. Transformation of (excessive) subsidies and (unwarranted) free-of-charge provisions

04. Transformation of salaries (a full reform is needed)

Each one of these aspects must be addressed at the same time, with the objective of achieving the comprehensive transformation required.

During his presentation, Murillo Jorge reiterated that, once the process is completed, workers will be “in better conditions than they are now.”

“Monetary unification entails a devaluation and that requires adjustments. It generates pressure on the enterprise system in the search for efficiency, without shock therapies.”

WHAT GAVE RISE TO THE COUNTRY’S DUAL CURRENCY SYSTEM?

A specific situation that affected the productive system and prevented the national currency from playing its role led to the current system.

BASIC CONCEPTS

Monetary duality:

Situation in which two currencies coexist and legally share, to some extent, the functions of money in the national economy.

Money should serve as:

-A means of payment

-A unit of accounting

-A reservoir of value.

Exchange duality:

Situation in which there are two exchange rates for the same currency.

Exchange rate:

Price of a currency expressed in terms of national currency (amount of national currency per unit of currency).

In the current Cuban monetary environment there are two exchange rates:

-In institutional/enterprise circulation (wholesale): 1 CUP=1 CUC and 1 CUC=1 USD (currently with central allocation).

-Circulation within the population (retail) 25 CUP=1 CUC and 1 CUC=1 USD.

MONETARY UNIFICATION

“The monetary unification is intended to ultimately remove the CUC. A period of time will be established for the state to collect the currency in circulation. People will have a period of time to make the change. The Cuban peso would be the only legal tender in Cuba,” Murillo explained.

Several concerns about this stage have arisen within our population, especially related to what will happen to the CUC they have in their possession, either as money deposited in the bank or kept at home, he noted.

As part of the process, we have then defined a period of no less than six months for the population to exchange or spend this money, he reported. “The state will collect the CUC that will continue to circulate, it until it runs out.”

Murillo explained that, during the period of time established to make the change, people will be able to go to stores and acquire the products they need and pay in CUC, but any change from that purchase will be made in CUP, as some commercial establishments are doing already in their management of sales, “Thus, the CUC that is left in the hands of the population will also be removed.”

Likewise, the exchange rate in effect prior to the unification will be respected. Whatever the new exchange rate, the population will be able to exchange the CUC they have at the current rate (24 CUP).

In the case of the enterprise sector, accounts in CUC will become CUP, 1×1, maintaining their current value.

Murillo stated that the exchange rate unification will not be a long process and will imply a significant devaluation.

The issue has been studied and the measure will go into effect on the first day of the month, to allow companies to close their financial records.

“What we must make clear is that the currency is being devalued to make our economy more competitive, which means a level of pressure on the enterprise sector, which will be obliged to face the effects of the devaluation, especially in terms of the processes related to imports and wholesale pricing.”

In this sense, he stated that all the wholesale prices in Cuba are going to rise in correlation with the increase that imported products will experience. “There is no human way to devaluate without increasing wholesale prices.”

According to Murillo, this rise in wholesale prices will also be influenced by the salary reform that will be conducted in the country, since companies will be adding the salary increase to their costs.

“Devaluing the currency and raising wages is synonymous with higher prices, which means inflation. The issue is how long it takes for the increase in wholesale prices to be reflected in retail prices.”

He said that the process of devaluation will occur over the course of six to 12 months, although some products will be affected day one. “If there were no increase in wholesale prices, enterprises would experience significant losses,” Murillo said.

“The challenge is to ensure that price increases do not exceed the design of wage increases, since that would be inflation beyond the design. Regardless of market signals, the very characteristics of the economy allow for the creation of conditions that ensure this does not happen,” he stated.

IMPACT ON THE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM

A number of of companies in Cuba will be obliged to make an effort to increase efficiency to remain solvent following the devaluation process, but there are others we have identified that will not be able to assume it and could experience losses, at least during the first year, Murillo continued.

That is why a strategy has been designed to monetarily protect these not-so-efficient enterprises; in other words, we will be subsidizing the losses of these enterprises. But we will come out ahead, because we will avoid their closure, and consequences like unemployment and the loss of the essential services some of these companies provide the population, he explained.

“This is a government aid program, with very clear commitments made regarding how and when these losses will be reduced and the company becomes more competitive.”

On another front, he indicated that devaluation should facilitate a theoretical process known as the correction of relative prices, which means that domestic raw materials become less expensive for Cuban industry than those imported.

We must ensure that this is the case, and that much-needed productive chains are created, he said.

“The correction of relative prices is the most significant effect we will be creating, because it will lead to a change in wages and there will be more motivation to produce. Although these measures are not the magic wand that will change everything, they do create the conditions for a positive reaction from producers in the enterprise system, and support the country’s policy of exporting more and replacing imports. With this, the market will begin to give different signals to the economy.

“This is the biggest effect we are expecting, a correction in relative prices, an increase in wages and greater motivation to work, although it won’t happen overnight.”

He acknowledged in his remarks that there will be inflation, but in a good way, since if we have a devaluation, prices increase, but the important thing is that this does not exceed the indicators that have been designed, he reiterated.

To control this, he said, we are proposing that a small group of products which are key to all sectors of the economy, like fuel, have centrally established prices. At the same time, the enterprise system will be given the authority to set other prices that are not centralized, but within certain limits, he added.

RETAIL PRICES

Regarding retail prices of the population’s basic consumer products will remain centralized; some of which will have subsidies and others not, Murillo reported.

“For example, in the case of the regulated family basket, we will keep some products with centralized prices and also subsidized, such as milk for children from 0 to 7 years of age. Others will have set prices, but without subsidies, although they will be regulated via the libreta (supply book) as a distribution mechanism, to ensure that everyone has access to them.”

Another indirect way to control inflation is, of course, to guarantee greater supply, but this is not always feasible in the current conditions of the Cuban economy, he clarified.

It cannot be forgotten that any price increase puts pressure on the population’s income, hence the importance of wage reform, he reiterated.

HOW WILL THE NEW WAGE SCALE BE FORMULATED?

We have established as a reference, an assortment of basic goods and services, not the same as the regulated food basket, which will be the reference point for setting the minimum wage and, on the basis of the first, a 32-level wage scale will be established, Murillo stated.

There are some state sector 29,000 workers in the first group earning the minimum wage, of the almost three million Cubans employed, he added.
As basic concept considered is that a worker’s salaries must cover the cost of his or her individual and family consumption, and therefore, the minimum salary must be a little higher than the reference basket.

“Based on the studies conducted, we know that the composition of households in Cuba is statistically three persons and, on average, two work.

“It may be that in three-person households, of the two who work, perhaps one earns the minimum wage, but the other may have a salary of four or five times the minimum wage, so the family’s expenses can be covered.”

When this is not the case, and these two people both earn the minimum and cannot afford basic goods and services, then social security comes into play, he said.

The plan, he stressed, is to subsidize these Cubans and not products, under the principle that in this process no one will be left unprotected.

He indicated that the total of salaries paid in the country will increase by 4.9 times, while social security expenditures will increase by five. While the price increase in the state sector is expected to be well below these figures.

Murillo emphasized that this is the most important issue in the wage reform. “If the rate of wage increases is higher than that of prices, then those of us who work with the state will be in a better position. This is another objective of the plan,” he stated.

The wage reform seeks a better distribution of wealth, since in practice no new earnings are created, he noted. “While it is necessary to eliminate subsidies and free of charge provisions, in this process, we will always protect children and pregnant women, citizens unable to work, and services of key national consumption, such as electricity.”

Referring to Murillo’s presentation, Deputy Prime Minister Alejandro Gil Fernández reiterated the importance of completing the four tasks involved in the monetary order simultaneously, as the only way to achieve a true transformation.

“Let us not see this as a necessary evil or a step backward. The proposed changes will allow us to be in better conditions to move forward,” he insisted.

These measures, he added, are for the good of all. “Those of us who work with the state are going to be grateful for the salary increase and that our work is our main source of income. In this context, it will be difficult to live in Cuba without working, but we will provide full support to those who are vulnerable or unable to work. The monetary re-ordering will generate important benefits,” he concluded.

(Taken from Granma)

A team from the Cornell Alliance for Science analyzed some 38 million articles published in English, between January 1 and May 26, 2020, in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, as well as in some other countries in Africa and Asia.

Of these, more than 522,400 articles were identified with false information about the coronavirus , a phenomenon called an infodemic by the World Health Organization.

Likewise, the impact of these articles on social networks was calculated, with more than 36 million interactions, three-quarters on Facebook.

In total, eleven categories of false information were identified, from conspiracy theories – that the virus was created to create a new world order; that it is a biological weapon disseminated by a Chinese laboratory; that it is a disease linked to tycoon Bill Gates; that the virus was created to regulate the world’s population, among others – even miracle cures.

The latter were by far the most popular, with 295,351 articles, and Trump’s comments were responsible for a significant uptick in this category, particularly the possibility of a disinfectant injection to combat the disease, as he told a conference. release on April 24.

Similarly, there were similar peaks when he promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine, a treatment whose effectiveness has not been proven.

“Therefore, we concluded that the president of the United States was without a doubt the most important factor of misinformation” about COVID-19, the researchers noted.

“If people receive misleading information through unscientific and unsubstantiated reports about the disease, they may be less likely to follow official recommendations and spread the virus further,” said Sarah Evanega, who led the study.

“One of the most interesting aspects of the data collection was discovering the impressive amount of false information directly related to the statements of a small number of individuals,” said Jordan Adams, co-author of the research and data analyst at Cision Insight.

According to the minister, a Cuban patient, 63 years of age, resident in the Havana municipality of Diez de Octubre, who returned to the island from Spain on March 8, began to exhibit symptoms on the 11th. He sought medical attention on the 12th, and was hospitalized immediately. To date, Portal stated, “The patient has mild symptoms and is in stable condition.”

Regarding cases previously diagnosed, Portal reported that one of the Italian tourists, 61 years of age and with a history of bronchial asthma, began to exhibit complications on March 15, and is currently in critical condition.

The other three patients, he said, are in stable condition at Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine. Individuals who had direct contact with these patients and passengers on the same flight from Italy are under observation and have shown no signs of infection, he stressed.

The minister said that since January 25, 470 individuals have been hospitalized for observation and 21,968 patients are being monitored by their primary care physicians. At the time of the meeting, 373 patients had been admitted for epidemiological surveillance, 145 from abroad and 228 Cubans.

(Source: Granma)

Dr. Carmelo Trujillo Machado, head of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) Department of International Health Control, reported this information Sunday in a press conference, and emphasized that the implementation of all measures established for the prevention and confrontation of the new coronavirus continue, in close collaboration with all central state administration agencies and ministries.

He reiterated the importance of expanding preventative and educational efforts for the entire population, as well as preparing all sectors of society to implement preventative measures.

Dr. Trujillo reported that border surveillance has been “increased and strengthened” at all ports of entry, with teams of health professionals carefully following protocols, while active monitoring continues at the primary care level and in hotels, to ensure the timely identification of possible cases and take appropriate action.

Family doctors and nurses are conducting active searches in communities to identify and monitor all individuals with respiratory symptoms, he stated, while insisting on the essential participation of the population, since anyone with such symptoms must seek medical attention immediately.

Dr. María Elena Soto Entenza, head of the Ministry’s Primary Health Care Department noted that specific areas have been designated in community polyclinics to care for patients with respiratory symptoms, as well as committees of several specialists to conduct clinical and epidemiological evaluations and determine the course to be followed.

“Not everyone who arrives with respiratory symptoms is hospitalized, but it is important that they are evaluated,” she emphasized.

(Source:Granma)

The President of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers reiterated that the problem is a result of escalating hostility on the part of the United States toward the country, which has included the obstruction of fuel deliveries.

They are bogged down In Venezuela, he stated, the Bolivarian people are defending their revolution, resisting pressures and economic sanctions of all kinds. So the U.S. wants to blame their failure there on Cuba, and discount the heroism of the Venezuelan people.

Given the empire’s inability to force them to their knees, they decided to increase pressure on Cuba, and spread the idea that problems here are the result of government incompetency.

Díaz-Canel emphasized the importance of maintaining our condemnations of U.S. aggression and ensuring the people’s understanding of the causes of these conjunctural difficulties.

He reported that a tanker arrived on the 14th as projected, and that now the second stage of the response has begun, focused on ensuring that this limited supply of fuel lasts until deliveries arrive at the end of the month and in October, when the situation should return to normal.

“This fight will be won with much organization, much discipline, and by reinforcing austerity and conservation,” he insisted, adding, that the country has overcome this first stage of the fuel shortage with the least impact possible.

(Granma)

The Ministers of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández; of Energy and Mines, Raúl García Barreiro; of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila; and First Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa participated, as well.Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez began by explaining , “We want to inform without frightening or causing fear. We are making known something that we had warned of earlier, this is the responsibility of the Council of Ministers, which has the duty to announce these new challenges.
Photo: Tomada de la televisión

We want to report what is happening, its causes, how we have worked in these months to minimize the impact, and the options we have to overcome this conjunctural situation.”… It is well known that the current U.S. administration is increasing its hostilities towards Cuba, with the aim of hurting the basic needs of the people and their daily activities and blaming the Cuban government for this,” pressuring us to change the course we have chosen as a country.

“…They persist in trying to prevent the arrival of fuel to Cuba. And additionally apply unilateral measures to limit our contracts with shipping companies that deliver resources to Cuba. There are entities that have withdrawn.“…This situation has caused a shortage of diesel.”

“…Ships with food are arriving in the country, ships with wheat flour, and this is a result of measures that have been adopted recently.”Díaz-Canel explained that this scenario forces us to adopt measures to minimize the impact on services to the population and focus on priorities, stressing that this is a conjunctural situation.

National industry guarantees 40 percent of the country’s fuel, and with this domestic production, we guarantee the operation of our thermoelectric plants. That is, the fundamental basis of the country’s energy system remains stable, the President stated.

All measures adopted have had positive results. However, despite the effort, the arrival of oil tankers was not achieved these last few weeks. In this situation there are two important moments. One is the one we currently experiencing, that will last until September 14, because fuel will not arrive until that date. On the 14th, a tanker will arrive.

The next shipments arrive at the end of September. We must maintain conservation and efficiency measures so that this fuel lasts until the end of the month, when the other vessels arrive and stabilize the situation. October contracts are negotiated. We are sure that fuel will be guaranteed at the end of September, and with the October contracts, Díaz said.

(Granma)

The Ministers of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández; of Energy and Mines, Raúl García Barreiro; of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila; and First Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa participated, as well.Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez began by explaining , “We want to inform without frightening or causing fear. We are making known something that we had warned of earlier, this is the responsibility of the Council of Ministers, which has the duty to announce these new challenges.

We want to report what is happening, its causes, how we have worked in these months to minimize the impact, and the options we have to overcome this conjunctural situation.”… It is well known that the current U.S. administration is increasing its hostilities towards Cuba, with the aim of hurting the basic needs of the people and their daily activities and blaming the Cuban government for this,” pressuring us to change the course we have chosen as a country.

“…They persist in trying to prevent the arrival of fuel to Cuba. And additionally apply unilateral measures to limit our contracts with shipping companies that deliver resources to Cuba. There are entities that have withdrawn.“…This situation has caused a shortage of diesel.”

“…Ships with food are arriving in the country, ships with wheat flour, and this is a result of measures that have been adopted recently.”Díaz-Canel explained that this scenario forces us to adopt measures to minimize the impact on services to the population and focus on priorities, stressing that this is a conjunctural situation.

National industry guarantees 40 percent of the country’s fuel, and with this domestic production, we guarantee the operation of our thermoelectric plants. That is, the fundamental basis of the country’s energy system remains stable, the President stated.

All measures adopted have had positive results. However, despite the effort, the arrival of oil tankers was not achieved these last few weeks. In this situation there are two important moments. One is the one we currently experiencing, that will last until September 14, because fuel will not arrive until that date. On the 14th, a tanker will arrive.

The next shipments arrive at the end of September. We must maintain conservation and efficiency measures so that this fuel lasts until the end of the month, when the other vessels arrive and stabilize the situation. October contracts are negotiated. We are sure that fuel will be guaranteed at the end of September, and with the October contracts, Díaz said.

(Granma)

More than 130 delegates from 21 countries gathered at the event to analyze issues such as equitable access and governance of the Internet.

In his final remarks, Cuba’s Minister of Communications, Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, emphasized that the country is committed to defending the extension of technologies for peaceful and social use.

The regional director for the Americas of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Bruno Ramos, said that events like these, held in the Caribbean, provide training and strengthen use of ICT, for countries that are increasingly connected.The importance of the open-ended Working Group, which advocates the opportunity for all states to participate, in an equitable manner, in the creation of a consensual regulatory framework and seeks to reach global agreement – within the context of the United Nations Third Commission on the criminal use of social networks and other tools.In a statement to Granma, Wilfredo González Vidal, Cuba’s first deputy minister of Communications, acknowledged that there is still a long way to go in legal matters regarding the use of ICT, especially in relation to national and global security.

(Granma)

march 11, 2018 07:03:01

10:51 a.m. Another triumph in the Sierra Maestra

At 6:00 a.m. in Minas del Frío, the habitual mist and icy cold wind reigned in this remote community located at 900 meters in the Sierra Maestra, Granma province.

Obisley Reyes, aged 30, arrived at the polling station together with his wife, to prepare conditions for the 171 inhabitants of this village, due to exercise their right to vote today.

“This entire town is a product of the Revolution. It’s no longer just four scattered houses. There’s a doctor’s office, a store, restaurant, two cooperatives, a farm, a little school where my wife works and where our children will go.

“There’s even a rehabilitation área with all the necessary equipment, where I work, to benefit nearby communities. These are the things we are voting to support, for the good people who defend them, for the mountains and the entire country to continue being an example of human dignity.”

Che Guevara created a training school for combatants of the Rebel Army here 60 years ago. The constituency has five polling stations distributed between the communities of Minas del Frío, Mompié, Caguara, Polo Norte and El Roble.

Today, these five historic sites will once again prove victorious, through the democratic vote of their inhabitants.

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10:50 a.m. Esteban Lazo Hernández: The medication against division is unity

The President of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo Hernández, exercised his right to vote in polling station no.2, constituency no.48, located in the Cesáreo Fernández Primary School of the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo, where he is again a candidate for deputy to the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP).

Speaking to reporters, Lazo noted that the electoral process that began in November and continues today with the election of members of the Cuban parliament and delegates to provincial assemblies, across more than 24,000 polling stations, has seen the mass participation of the Cuban electorate and is a result of the significant efforts of 200,000 electoral authorities.

He also noted the work of young people and school children in supporting the electoral process, as well as the training of all those involved in guaranteeing that everything runs smoothly throughout the day.

Regarding the particiaption of Cuban women in Parliament, Lazo noted that women represent 48% of deputies in the current National Assembly, and in the next, they will represent 53.2%. As such, the Cuban parliament is set to have the second highest percent of women members in the world.

10:40 a.m. Indira Díaz Roques nunca antes había votado en unas elecciones

PINAR DEL RÍO.—Indira Díaz Roques nunca antes había votado en unas elecciones. Este domingo 11 de marzo, fue su primera vez.

A sus 16 años, asegura que se trata de un derecho conquistado por los cubanos, que hoy nos toca defender. Por eso, al depositar su boleta en las urnas, no solo estaba dando su respaldo a los candidatos a la Asamblea Provincial del Poder Popular y al Parlamento, sino también al proceso que entre todos construimos desde 1959.

«En estas elecciones votamos también por Cuba, por el futuro de nuestro país, por la continuidad de la Revolución», dice.

Indira es estudiante de la Escuela Pedagógica Tania la Guerrillera, de Pinar del Río, donde se forma como educadora.

«Yo había participado en otros procesos electorales, pero como pionera, cuidando las urnas.

«Era algo que me encantaba, una experiencia muy bonita. Siempre me sentía orgullosa de que me escogieran para esa responsabilidad tan importante».

A pesar de ser, como ella misma dice, «primeriza», advierte que en la escuela había recibido información suficiente sobre cómo ejercer el voto. «Además, cuando cuidaba las urnas, en primaria y en la secundaria, yo también observaba cómo se hacía».

«Pienso que el sistema electoral cubano es democrático, porque tenemos la oportunidad de elegir a las personas que nos representarán.

«No se presiona a nadie a votar por una persona en específico, es un proceso libre y transparente».

«Para mí, hoy ha sido algo extraordinario, porque con mi voto estoy reafirmando que estoy al lado de la Revolución, de Fidel, de Raúl, y honrando la memoria de los héroes que dieron su vida para que tuviéramos una patria soberana».

(Granma correspondent: Ronald Suárez Rivas)

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10:35 a.m. Cuban sports stars exercise their right to vote

Cuban sports stars voted for their National Assembly and Provincial candidates.

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10:22 a.m. Statements by the President of the Electoral Commission of the municipality of Sancti Spíritus

SANCTI SPÍRITUS.- Including all those involved in the different polling stations, constituencies, districts and the Municipal Electoral Commission itself, in the capital municipality of the province of Sancti Spíritus, almost 1,900 electoral authorities have been trained for this electoral process. This figure reveals the extensive preparation necessary to successfully develop a process of this magnitude.

Pedro Iglesias Marrero, President of the Municipal Electoral Commission, who has over 30 years’ experience in Cuban electoral processes, noted that the timely training of electoral authorities guarantees clean and transparent elections.

With a total of 112,889 registered voters across its 260 polling stations, Sancti Spíritus is the only municipality of the province to have two electoral districts: one of a mainly rural population and another urban area.

“I have seen our electoral system grow, we began with teleprinters and now everything is digitalized,” Iglesias explained, noting that his work in this regard has been a valuable experience.

Among the strengths of the Cuban system, he highlighted the role of a group of supervisors, responsible for ensuring the electoral law is followed and the elections developing in full transparency; and the contribution of collaborators, including university students, who demonstrate the high participation of Cuban youth in this process.

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With a total of 112,889 registered voters across its 260 polling stations, Sancti Spíritus is the only municipality of the province to have two electoral districts. Photo: Vicente Brito

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10:10 a.m. The First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, exercises his right to vote in the city of Santa Clara.

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10:04 a.m. Voter in Holguín: “I didn’t hesitate to vote for all the candidates”

HOLGUÍN.- Roger Antonio Ávila Rodríguez, an 83-year-old retired judge, voted in Polling Station No.5 of the Constituency No.2 of Alcides Pino People’s Council No.1, in this city.

“I didn’t hesitate to vote for all the candidates. This moment meant voting for Cuba and for unity among all compatriots,” he explained after casting his vote.

Roger recalled the various electoral processes in which he has participated since 1959.

“In the elections of 1944 I was 9 years old, and in those of 1948, I had turned 13. I remember the attitude of my father, who never went to vote, because he said the presidents of the nation, the mayors, the councillors and all those who lived off politics, only sought these positions to make themselves rich.

“To do so, they would do anything. In order to admit one of my sisters with appendicitis to the civil hospital in Holguín, a representative of one of those politicians demanded all the identification cards of our family. My father refused and preferred to pay for a private clinic with the money he had hastily made by selling some cows.

“In those times, what was considered democracy wasn’t respected. In 1952, when I had turned 18, Fulgencio Batista led the coup d’état. My father told me: Now the country will get worse. And he was right.

“Everything changed with the triumph of Fidel, for whom I voted today.”
Roger Antonio Ávila Rodríguez, a retired judge, on depositing his ballot.

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9:30 a.m. Statements by Isabel González Cárdenas, president of the Provincial Assembly of People’s Power in Camagüey:

“We are sure that, as always, the people of Camagüey will come out to vote early, as can be seen already in the streets this morning. We have many reasons to vote: this will be a vote for the unity of the people as regards the Revolution, for the principles that we defend and will always defend, for the historic legacy and commitment we made to our eternal Comandante Fidel, for the future of our families, for the education that we have, to see our children study and play in the streets with complete freedom and without any danger, for this land that we defend, for so much blood spilt and for so many heroes who gave their lives for us to enjoy today a free and sovereign Homeland.”

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9:20 a.m. Voting underway in Camagüey

Camagüey.- Nobody was going to stop Faustino Vázquez Romero from being the first to vote at polling station no.4 in constituency no.61, in the city of Camagüey: “I’m always among the first to vote. It’s my way of ratifying my love for my country. I am what I am thanks to the Revolution, as my parents were poor campesinos of the Amancio Rodríguez area and, what’s more, we were ten siblings in the family. Imagine the future that awaited us if January 1, 1959, had not arrived!

(Granma correspondent: Miguel Febles)

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9:00 a.m. The President of the National Electoral Council reported that voting is running smoothly across the island

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8:40 a.m. Susely Morfa González, First Secretary of the National Committee of the Young Communist League (UJC) and member of the Council of State, exercises her right to vote

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8:30 a.m. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, member of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee Political Bureau, and deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power, exercises his right to vote

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8:23 a.m. Mercedes López Acea, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Havana, member of the Party Central Committee Political Bureau and a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, exercises her right to vote.

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8:22 a.m. José Ramón Machado Ventura, Comandante of the Revolution and Second Secretary of the Party Central Committee, exercises his right to vote.

The Second Secretary of the Party Central Committee, José Ramón Machado Ventura, exercised his right to vote in a constituency of the electoral District No.2 of the city of Guantánamo.

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8:21 a.m. Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, exercises his right to vote.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, exercised his right to vote in a polling station located in Santiago’s II Frente Oriental Frank País municipality, as reported by ACN.

Raúl was nominated as a candidate for deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power here.

At the polling station, the Cuban President exchanged with voters and electoral authorities.

Cuban television reported that Raúl voted in Polling Station No.1, of constituency No.11, and was the first voter to place his ballot in the ballot box.

(Source:  ANC)

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8:20 a.m. Despite anti-Cuban provocations, the election process has developed peacefully

Last week, the Cuban Foreign Ministry condemned an attempt to orchestrate a new act of anti-Cuban provocation from abroad, with the aim of interfering in the internal affairs of Cuba, generating instability, affecting the country’s image and Cuba’s diplomatic relations with other states.

You can read the full statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following link:

Anti-Cuban provocation plot foiled on eve of elections: http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2018-03-09/anti-cuban-provocation-plot-foiled-on-eve-of-elections

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8:18 a.m. 17,000 university and high school students are participating in the electoral process

University professors and students are participating in this process as electoral authorities, collaborators, supervisors and members of the candidature commissions.

Over 17,000 university and high school studentsare registered to act as collaborators in these elections, which will see 605 National Assembly deputies and 1,265 delegates to Provincial Assemblies elected. These students have received the necessary training on the details of the Cuban electoral system.

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8:16 a.m. A novelty of these elections: Digital certification

This March 11, the National Electoral Commission (CEN) will implement the use of digital certificates in the general election process, as CEN President Alina Balseiro noted during a recent press conference.

The new procedure will facilitate the agility of the elections, as not only will the information be registered, but votes will be counted, allowing the chairpersons of electoral commissions at the different levels to validate the results and the elected deputies and delegates.

Through this process, all documentation is sent to municipalities, where the presidents of Municipal Electoral Commissions and chairpersons of provincial commissions digitalize all the data and sign the corresponding certificates.

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8:14 a.m. When did this electoral process begin?

Cuba’s 2017-2018 general elections were called on June 14, 2017, and the first stage concluded in December with the constitution of the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power, formed of delegates elected in each neighbourhood constituency. The second and final stage of the voting will take place today, March 11. The general election process will conclude on April 19 with the election of the 31 members of the Council of State and the President of Cuba.

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8:12 a.m. What happened after the first phase of the general elections, held November 26, 2017?

Representatives of the Cuban people saw an intense preparation period following the first stage of the general elections, the constitution of the municipal assemblies and the later handover to new authorities of these bodies by the outgoing presidents and vice presidents.

The new delegates of the 5,876 electoral constituencies were provided with the essential information regarding their mandates before assuming office, as well as analyses of the socio-political situation and issues identified and pending in their respective constituencies, and all established documentation.

Likewise, municipal presidents and vice presidents participated in courses focused on the economic and social situation in each province, the implementation of the country’s Social and Economic Policy Guidelines, and contributions to local development, among other topics.

They also studied the established procedures on the functioning of municipal assemblies, commissions, people’s councils and administration bodies.

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8:10 a.m. STEPS IN THE ELECTION OF CUBA’S PRESIDENT:

1. Nomination as deputy proposed and approved in a social or mass organization leadership plenum.

2. Nomination approved by a vote of the Municipal Assembly.

3. Election via a direct, secret ballot vote by electors in a district.

4. Election as President by the National Assembly.

5. Must be elected via a direct, secret ballot vote by deputies.

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8:00 a.m. Five sources to follow Cuba’s general elections:

Official website of Cuban general elections 2017-2018
National Electoral Commission on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
National Assembly on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube
Official website of the Cuban Parliament
Mobile app on the Cuban electoral system (available to download here)
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/loCXFKHLP8M

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7:05 a.m. As part of the protocol, the ballot boxes are shown to be empty

The first step of the morning is to show voters that the ballot boxes are empty before being sealed, as outlined in the Cuban Electoral Law.

To find out more about the general election process and the similarities and differences between the first stage to elect constituency delegates and this stage, in which provincial delegates and national deputies are elected, we suggest the following articles:

Elections: Questions and answers (Part I)

Elections: Questions and answers (Part II)

Elections: Questions and answers (Third and final part)

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7:00 a.m. Polling stations open across Cuba

Polling stations opened across Cuba at 7:00 a.m. this Sunday, March 11, for the election of deputies to the Cuban Parliament and delegates to Provincial Assembles of People’s Power.

More than 8 million citizens are eligible to vote, as the President of the National Electoral Council, Alina Balseiro, told reporters.

Last Sunday, March 4, a dynamic test (mock election) was undertaken to check that all elements of the voting system, including ballots, the counting and analysis of information were in place, as well as to identify any issues yet to be resolved. As Balseiro noted, the results of this mock election proved satisfactory.

[Suggested reading: The noble face of the country]

Important details of the general elections:

Some 24,470 polling stations have been installed across the country
143 are “special” polling stations – located in hospitals, terminals, and other spaces, to provide voters who cannot make it to normal polling stations with a location closer to where they are based in order to exercise their vote
605 deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power (Parliament) will be elected
1,265 delegates to Provincial Assemblies will also be elected
Voting will take place across the 12,515 electoral constituencies of Cuba

(Source Granma)

For decades, the presencer of children and teenagers with their uniforms and school attributes, has given a distinctive touch to elections in the island, where there are no police and military forces to guarantee the tranquility and normal evolution of voting.

‘For me it is a matter of pride to guard elections of the people, I have done this many times and always with great happiness’, commented to Prensa Latina Thalia, pupil of sixth grade of the capital’s municipality of Boyeros.

Likewise Reynaldo, who for the first time does this with great enthusiasm.

I had to get up very early and now, every time someone deposits their ballot I have to salute and say ‘voted’, said the seven-year old resident in the Havana municipality of Playa.

Also Cuban adolescents and youths carry out a leading role in election day, when over eight million citizens over 16 years of age will elect the members of Parliament and the delegates to the Provincial Assemblies of the People’s Power.

In declarations to Prensa Latina, the member of the National Electoral Commission Gil Ramon Gonzalez, stressed the participation of over 17 thousand university and mid-level schools as collaborators at the polling stations, a figure that was first established in the partial elections of 2015 and has the mission of protecting the process’ legality.

‘Their presence allows to have a different appreciation of the process, different from that of an electoral authority. The youths are immerse in some of the most significant moments of the day, as the opening of the polling stations, the emission of reports and the compliance with the law, that is very important’, explained the also Vice Minister of High Education.

(Prensa Latina)