Connect to share and comment

Cuba's legislature opens, set to re-elect Raul Castro

February 24, 2013 13:16
Cuba's new National Assembly met Sunday to choose a Council of State, which in turn is expected to elect Raul Castro to another five year term as president of the communist country. Assembly members cheered revolutionary icon Fidel Castro, 86, who made a rare public appearance to be at the opening event with his brother Raul, state news agency Prensa Latina reported. Foreign press was barred from the opening ceremony.

Raul Castro in final push to reform Communist Cuba

February 22, 2013 22:01
Raul Castro, who will be re-elected president when Cuba's National Assembly meets on Sunday, wants to reform the island's sclerotic economy while keeping a central role for the Communist Party. It would be a difficult balancing act in the best of times, even for a leader with Raul's impeccable revolutionary pedigree. Raul Castro is the younger brother of legendary Cuban leader Fidel Castro and took power only when the 86-year-old's health began to fail.

Cuba's Raul Castro jokingly hints at possible retirement

February 22, 2013 17:00
* Castro set to begin second term on Sunday * President turns 82 in June HAVANA, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Cuban President Raul Castro, who is expected to begin a second five-year term on Sunday, jokingly told reporters on Friday that he was planning his retirement but left open just when he would step down. "I'm going to retire," said a grinning Castro in the company of visiting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Cuba's Raul Castro jokes about retiring

February 22, 2013 13:16
President Raul Castro jokingly said Friday he is going to retire, noting that he is nearly 82 and has the right to stop working like anyone else. Castro made the comments as Cuba's congress is almost certain to elect him to another term on Sunday. "I am going to resign. I am about to turn 82. I have the right to retire. Don't you believe me?", Castro said with a smile to reporters.

Cubans vote in suspense-free polls

February 3, 2013 18:31
Cubans on Sunday elected members of the National Assembly, one in a series of votes leading up to the communist island's all but certain re-election later this month of President Raul Castro. Opponents of the Marxist regime deride the balloting as a farce, noting that the number of candidates vying for office is identical to the number of open seats, leaving no doubt about the outcome. Candidates include the 81 year-old president and his older brother, 86 year-old former president Fidel Castro, who left office due to bad health in 2006.

Cubans to vote in suspense-free polls

February 1, 2013 13:45
Cubans go to the polls this weekend to choose 612 members of the national assembly, one in a series of votes leading up to the all but certain re-election later this month of President Raul Castro. Polls are to open Sunday at 7.00 am (1200 GMT) and close at 6.00 pm (2300 GMT), in balloting derided by opponents of the Marxist regime as a "farce" and little more than a rubber stamp of the status quo.
Syndicate content