Politics of Cuba

[4][5] The 2019 Constitution of Cuba identifies the ideals represented by Cuban independence hero José Martí and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro as the primary foundation of Cuba's political system, while also stressing the importance of the influence of the ideas of Marx, Engels, and Lenin.

With effect from 10 October 2019, Miguel Díaz-Canel is the president and Manuel Marrero is the Prime Minister of Cuba.

On July 31, 2006, during the 2006 Cuban transfer of duties, Fidel Castro delegated his duties as President of the Council of state, first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party and the post of commander in chief of the armed forces to first Vice President Raúl Castro.

In 2002 supporters of a movement known as the Varela Project submitted a citizen proposal of law with 11,000 signatures calling for a national referendum on political and economic reforms.

[28] The organizations are designed to put medical, educational or other campaigns into national effect, and to report "counter-revolutionary" activity.

Cubans who live abroad for personal reasons for more than 24 consecutive months lose their right to vote.

After elections are called, Council of State designates members of CEN (National Electoral Commission).

It is responsible for surveying and inspecting the election procedure and ensure it conforms with the Constitution and electoral law.

[31]: 154-156 For the purpose of Municipal elections, each circunscripción is further divided into two to eight areas with the goal of allowing nomination meetings to be very compressed and based on the grassroots.

In order to ensure the law is being followed, members of CEP make surprise visits to nomination meetings.

[31]: 157-159 [34] Once candidates have been nominated, the local electoral commission obtains a short biographical profile and a photo from them.

[35] Duharte Díaz, professor at University of Havana, is of the opinion that posting profiles is insufficient and that more should be done to present the candidates.

[31]: 167–171 Before elections (that usually happen in January), meetings between candidates and workers are held in places of work and in the neighbourhoods.

[20]: 38 Cuba's foreign policy has been scaled back and redirected as a result of economic hardship after the collapse of the Soviet bloc.

Without massive Soviet subsidies and its primary trading partner Cuba was comparatively isolated in the 1990s, but has since entered bilateral co-operation with several South American countries, most notably Venezuela and Bolivia.

Cuba has normal diplomatic and economic relations with every country in the Western hemisphere except the United States.

Cuba thus rejects criticism of its political system as a lack of appreciation for different forms of democracy other than those in capitalist states.

[65] It alludes to the grass roots elements in the nomination of candidates at neighborhood level (in the so-called circunscripciónes).

[66] Opposition groups inside and outside the country as well as a summary published by Human Rights Watch[67] and certain foreign governments have described the Cuban political system as undemocratic.

[68] The United States Government has initiated various policy measures ostensibly designed to urge Cuba to undertake political change towards a multi-party electoral system.

These plans have been condemned by the Cuban Government, who accuses the United States of meddling in Cuba's affairs.

[70] The Cuban government has been accused of numerous human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary imprisonment, unfair trials, and extrajudicial executions (a.k.a.

This Code ensures the protection of rights of adoption, surrogacy, transgender-affirmation, same-sex marriages and the legitimacy of intergenerational households.

The 2012 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Cuba 58th out of 176 countries, tied with Jordan and Namibia.