Another stage of renewal in Cuba | Miguel Dias …

Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel replaced Raúl Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) this Monday, the fourth and last day of the Eighth Political Training Congress. Along with Castro, 89, other historical leaders walked out of the CCP leadership like the current number two José Ramón Machado Ventura and Commander Ramiro Valdés, as well as Marino Murillo, were considered the father of the economic reforms initiated ten years ago. The date coincides with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the historic victory in Playa Girón, when Cuban forces under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, Fidel Castro, defeated a brigade funded by the United States government.

“The most revolutionary thing in the revolution is to always defend the party, in the same way that the party should be the greatest defender of the revolution”, he precised Diaz Canel in his closing remarks to the CPC Congress. This higher organ of the Central Committee, which went from 17 to 14 members, It represents the political heart of the island and was made up of three women and eleven men with an average age of 61.6 years. Electronic engineer by training, Díaz Canel is the first civilian to lead the party and his only military experience was three years of service in an anti-aircraft missile unit.

“April 19, the historic day on which the historic eighth CCP congress culminates. The centennial generation, founder and guide of the pArtido, transfer of responsibilities “Diaz Canel, 60, tweeted on the fourth and final day of the meeting. The photo that accompanies the publication of the president and now also the first secretary of the PCC reflects this founding generation to which he alludes: behind Raúl Castro, who speaks on the podium, the faces of José Martí, Carlos Baliño, Julio Antonio Mella and Fidel Castro, they are based on the red background of a giant screen.

In his first speech as the head of the CCP, Díaz Canel assured that he would continue to consult Raúl Castro on “strategic decisions for the future of the nation”. The Cuban president’s remarks suggest that even though he will no longer hold nominal office, Fidel Castro’s younger brother will continue to retain his influence after the generational change consummated during the conclave.

The long-awaited nomination of Díaz Canel as head of the party was confirmed on Monday after 300 delegates from across the island, representing 700,000 activists, will vote on Sunday to elect the Central Committee, made up of 114 members. This committee directs the political grouping between the congresses, selects the political bureau of the interior and is responsible for appointing its first and second secretaries.

Raúl Castro’s departure from the CCP is accompanied by the retirement of other activists who won the triumph of the Cuban revolution, such as Second Secretary José Ramón Machado Ventura, 90, and Ramiro Valdés, 88. of the country only knew Fidel, who died ten years ago, and Raúl Castro at the head of power. “Since I was born I have only known one holiday and so far we live with it, and no one is starving”said Miguel Gainza, a 58-year-old craftsman who works in Old Havana and supports the government.

Among the new members of the most powerful organ of the CPC are the country’s Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero, and Luis Alberto Rodríguez López Callejas, a former minister of Raúl Castro. They remain in the highest governing body of the CPC, in addition to Díaz Canel, Speaker of Parliament Esteban Lazo, Vice President Salvador Valdés, Deputy Prime Minister Roberto Morales and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez.

In all, the new body is made up of 14 leaders, three less than the previous composition. Among them, three women: the general secretary of the Federation of Cuban Women, Teresa Amarelle, the scientist and director of the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Marta Ayala, and the first secretary of the PC of the province of Artemisa, Gladys Martínez. At 49, she is also the youngest in the powerful CCP Corps.

At the forefront of generational change

Born after the triumph of the revolution in 1959, Díaz Canel embodies the new generation in power in Cuba. His humble origins did not prevent him from pursuing university studies, obtaining his degree in electronics engineering in 1982, when he enlisted in the armed forces to perform only his military service.

As a young man, he joined an internationalist mission in Nicaragua with other members of the Communist youth. He was party leader in two provinces, minister of higher education and vice-president in 2013 before being appointed president of Cuba. In the central report to the 8th CPC Congress, Raúl Castro admitted that Díaz Canel “is not the result of improvisation, but of a thoughtful selection of a young revolutionary with the conditions to be promoted to higher positions”.

When he became president in 2018, much was written about his cycling transfers while working in the province, his passion for the Beatles or the habitual use of cellphones and tablets. Admittedly, Díaz Canel presents a more modern style than that cultivated by the Castro brothers. Yes indeed ended with the olive green of its illustrious predecessors: for the first time in decades, Cuba was presided over by a civilian.

Cuban President based his style of government on constant presence on the groundEither physical with many trips to the provinces, or virtual by opening his Twitter account, which he uses to communicate several times a day.

During these years in office, US sanctions were tightened and the economic, trade and financial blockade intensified. that Washington imposes on the island. In addition, Cuba has suffered the hard impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In return, scientific and technological work on the island has enabled it to develop four vaccines against covid-19. Two of these projects are nearing completion of massive clinical trials.