Cuba Postpones Elections for Serious Damages from “Irma”

HAVANA TIMES – Cuba has postponed the municipal elections due to be held next month because of the considerable damage caused by Hurricane Irma, local media reported.

The vote schedule scheduled for October 22 will now pass to November 26, while the second round scheduled for October 29 will be held on December 3, in those districts where none of the candidates obtain more than 50 percent of the votes.

The Cuban government justified the change in the calendar due to the “serious effects” caused by Hurricane Irma and the need for “state institutions, mass and social organizations, and the population to focus the recovery efforts.”

Hurricane “Irma” affected 14 of the 16 Cuban provinces, left 10 dead and caused serious damage to homes, the energy sector and agriculture.

The municipal elections open the process leading to the replacement of Raul Castro in the  presidency, that according to the original schedule will culminate in February of 2018.

In this first phase, voters will select neighborhood representatives, some of whom will then become city council members for two and a half years to form the municipal government. Among them they propose 50 per cent of the candidates for the provincial assemblies and the national parliament.

For the election of the national deputies there is still no fixed date, although it is expected to be in the months of January and February next year.