Cuba: New President Promises Continuity
HAVANA TIMES – The new Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, assured today that the mandate he initiates will be to give “continuity to the Cuban Revolution in a historical and crucial moment,” reported dpa news.
“The Revolution continues and will continue,” said Diaz-Canel during his first speech as the new president of Cuba before a plenary session of the National Assembly, where he affirmed that “the Cuban Revolution continues to be olive green and ready for future battles.”
“Today we begin a mandate in the service of a nation”, were the first words as president of Cuba by Miguel Díaz-Canel, who acknowledged that “we are not inaugurating just one more legislative period”.
Díaz-Canel dedicated “the first thought to the historical generation that made the revolution” and pointed out that “Cuba expects us to be like them”.
“I come to work, not to promise anything,” said Diaz-Canel, who expressed his commitment to work for compliance with the economic “guidelines” program, approved by the Communist Party of Cuba.
“Only intense and selfless work will give new victories to the homeland and socialism,” said Diaz-Canel, aware of the delicate economic scenario he faces.
After obtaining all the 604 votes of the deputies present (one was absent), the arrival of Diaz-Canel to the Cuban presidency is historic because for the first time in decades there will not be a Castro in front of the Cuban government, but political changes are not on the new leader’s agenda.
“Here there are no spaces for a transition that does not recognize the legacy of so many years of struggle,” said Diaz-Canel in a clear message that he will not get out of line with the one-party system in Cuba.
Díaz-Canel highlighted the achievements in the international arena of ??the Raul Castro presidency includingnthe restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States after decades of confrontation and hosting the signing of the peace agreement in the Colombian conflict.
The new Cuban president said that in view of the “growing threats to international peace and security,” Cuban politics will “remain unchanged without making concessions to national sovereignty,” which is why he said the Cuban government “will not accept to negotiate its principles, nor any conditioning.”
The Cuban Parliament approved today that at the next parliamentary meeting the deputies will ratify the conformation of the new Council of Ministers, directed by Miguel Diaz-Canel.
What I wish for Paul is freedom for the people of Cuba. For thirty years Diaz-Canel has faithfully kept to the Party line, do not expect change. That as Raul Castro Ruz himself explained when he selected him almost five years ago, was his reason. There is nothing in Diaz-Canel’s record to indicate any more concern for “listening to and helping people” than either of the Castros. During the last year there has been increasing promotion of the cult of the personality in Cuba by the PCC. The placards and posters of Fidel, Raul and Guevara are even larger and more numerous. As I recorded in another comment, in our local MININT office in March 2018, I counted forty two – yes, 42 – pictures of Fidel Castro.
The human race is of little interest to the PCC. Retention of power and control is paramount.
Oh dear! Nidal you really have swallowed the worm. Are you aware Nidal that in Cuba, the Communist Party is superior to the State? The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba is Raul Castro Ruz. You obviously associate the title of President as being the top position. Not so in Cuba, Raul has merely passed the daily chores to Diaz-Canel, but retains the power and thus control.
As for the banking system, Cuba has two currencies, the national peso and the Cuban convertible. Neither is accepted internationally as they do not float on the market, If they did, their value would decrease rapidly.
As for “native inhabitants” few of the Caribbean nations have any. In Cuba the Spanish eradicated the Taino (genocide). Practically without exception the populations are immigrant descendants. In the case of Cuba, the initial immigrants were Spanish Catholics who having virtually eradicated the Taino, imported African slaves (compulsory immigration).
Do you know Nidal of any other Caribbean island nation seeking to become communist?
I have seen Cuban government estimates of $7 billion but your $10+ billion, as explained, makes sense.
NIdal: If you think the five years Raul spent training his personally chosen replacement and still remaining First Secretary of the Communist Party as well as remaining head of the Cuban military which controls the economy could be considered as “letting go”, then you think differently than I do.
Moses, actually Cuba needs $5.4 billion every year just to finance its external trade deficit which arises from the need to import the food necessary to feed everyone. So $5.4 billion is just to break even. Anything to actually invest in an attempt to move forward with economic improvement is on top of that. So if you believe $5 billion is required for investment, that adds up to a total of $10.4 billion.
Stupid advice. Cuba needs at least $5 billion of foreign investment annually in Cuba in order to resuscitate its moribund economy. By shutting down as you suggest, the likelihood of attracting foreign investors is nil. Socialism for the Stone Ages may sound attractive to you but for Cubans who have to live with it, it would only continue the suffering.
For those of you who were saying the castros would not let go of Cuba I will say eat your hats ,
the castros have sacrificed so much for the sake of Cuba and the people they dearly love , I think his Excellency the honorable Raúl Castro deserves the Nobel Prize for Peace in stepping aside and allowing a peaceful transition of power , I hope that the Cubans will not make the mistake of diving too deep into the vampire parasitic talmudic fractional currency westernize banking system , all what they need is to take a good look around them in the Caribbeans and see how some of their neighbors in the Caribbeans ended up to there eyeballs and death and before you know it taxes get so high that the native inhabitants will be taxed out of their own property and will be homeless in their own country for the sake of making a bunch of foreigners super rich ,
God bless Cuba
New presidency under Canel cannot escape from Castros’ near 6 decades of high-handed influence, that is why he says Cuba’s Revolution will continue. But for how long more?
Why not follow communist China’s footstep for a change, adopt socialist capitalism to boost the nation’s ailing economy. Give it a try.
Don’t expect any changes as long as the last of the Castro brothers is still around. But the U.S. government needs to help Cubans on both sides of the Florida Strait to reach out to each other in order to improve the lives of their loved ones living on the island with unlimited visits and financial support.
Cuba is so close geographically but yet far away from each other politically!
As an American, it’s unfortunate that it’s going to be more of the status quo in Cuba. I was hoping for more positive change for the Cuban people.
Diaz-Canel is in a damnable position. He owes his job to the Castros and is obliged to maintain the status quo as an homage to the dictatorship he succeeded. On the other hand, he is compelled to make changes if he is to lead the economy away from the abyss. He will probably continue to suck up to the Castros to the peril of the economy and the Cuban people.
Best of luck to him! I’m not communist or Cuban and don’t agree with totalitarian systems, but he seems like someone who may be more interested in listening to and helping people than in power or developing a personality cult, so that’s a good start. Better development of the Cuban economy would be a good thing for the human race, regardless of the governing system, so hopefully even his enemies will wish him success.