Cuba is an island nation made up of the main island of Cuba and a number of smaller surrounding islands and archipelagos, located off the coast of the US state of Florida in the Northern Caribbean between the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Other nearby nations are The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Jamaica, Haiti and Mexico. Cuba’s capital Havana is located on the North-Western coast of the main island.
The island that is now Cuba was originally inhabited by native and indigenous peoples until the Spanish colonized the island in the 15th Century and it was a part of the Spanish Empire until the United States occupied the island in 1898 as a result of the Spanish-American War and it became an American Protectorate. In 1902 Cuba was given formal independence although the US maintained the right to intervene in the nation’s affairs as well as supervise its finances and foreign affairs. The US did end up intervening in the first few years, including occupying Cuba again after disputed elections in 1906 against the country’s first President, where the US then installed a Governor for 3-years, who historians have blamed for introducing political and social corruption.
Cuba continued to be a fragile Republic and although from 1940 there were attempts to strengthen Democracy, mounting political radicalization and strife led to a coup and dictatorship under Batista in 1952. Batista was eventually ousted in 1959 by the 25th July Movement which installed a Communist political party-controlled government under Fidel Castro. This ultimately led to great tension between Cuba and the US due to human rights violations and the ongoing Cold War and the prospect of having a Communist Soviet-backed enemy at their doorstep, Cuba ended up playing a major role with its forces in the Cold War in numerous proxy wars.
In April 1961 the US made a failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro from power in the Bay of Pigs invasion. In 1962 there was the notable Cuban Missile Crisis between Cuba and the US that nearly led to nuclear Armageddon. Relations between Cuba and the US remained fairly sour since the Cold War and the US Guantanamo Bay on the Cuban territory had been heavily opposed by the nation since tensions begun, although no attempts have been made to take it by force. Relations have gradually improved though over the years, but Cuba remains a single-party Communist state.
The largest religion is Roman Catholic and the country uses two official currencies, the Cuban Peso and the Cuban convertible peso. Cuba experienced a slight population decline from the late 2000s but it is rising again with it estimated to reach 11,059,062 by July 2020.
Government Type
As said Cuba is a one-party Marxist-Leninist state. There is a President who is Chief of State and a Prime Minister who is Head of Government but the position of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba is seen as a more powerful and influential position due to the One-Party state and basically de-facto leader. There is a unicameral chamber of parliament that is entirely seated by neighborhood committee members from across Cuba, no individual parties are allowed.
The Communist Party of Cuba is structured similar to the Chinese Communist Party in that it has a Central Committee and a Politburo that makes decisions between sessions of the Central Committee as well as a Secretariat headed by the Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba. The party also has its own Congress.
The Party Congress is the party’s highest decision-making body while it is in session, while it isn’t the Central Committee is, followed by the Politburo and Secretariat, both of which are elected by the Central Committee, the Central Committee is selected by the Party’s Congress, the Central Committee appoints the First Secretary of the Party, which has been held by a Castro since 1961.
State Government
President – Diplomatic, foreign Affairs
The President of Cuba is Chief of State and represents the country abroad in diplomatic and foreign affairs. The President is also responsible for the management of the National Assembly. The President is charged with making sure that the constitution is followed. The President directs the state’s general policies and directs matters related to foreign affairs, relations with foreign nations and the defense and security of the nation. The President proposes to the Council of State the designation or removal of the chiefs of Cuba’s diplomatic missions. Grants or denies, on behalf of Cuba, the approval of heads of diplomatic missions from other states.
Vice-President and Presidential/Vice-Presidential Absence
There is a Vice-President who will temporarily substitute for the President if they are absent, ill or have died. If absence is definite then a new President is chosen. If both are absent in a definitive capacity then the President of the National Assembly of People’s Power will substitute until the National Assembly of People’s Power select a new President and Vice-President.
President’s Duties
After the President is elected, they will present to the National Assembly of People’s Powers, the members of the Council of Ministers.
The President can grant pardons and request concessions of amnesty from the National Assembly of People’s Power.
Law bills passed by the National Assembly of People’s Power are signed into law by the President.
The President proposes to the National Assembly of People’s Power or to the Council of State, the selection, designation, suspension, revocation, or substitution of people who occupy the positions of Prime Minister, President of the People’s Supreme Court, Attorney General of the Republic, Comptroller General of the Republic, President of the National Electoral Council and the members of the Council of Ministers.
Also proposes to the appropriate delegates of the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power the election or revocation of provincial and deputy governors.
The President is to be familiar with and evaluate and adopt the decisions regarding reports presented by the Prime Minister that documents their management, as well as those of the Council of Ministers, or those of the Executive Committee.
The President can decide on granting Cuban citizenship and to accept renunciations and issue orders regarding the loss of Cuban citizenship.
The President can create commissions or temporary working groups for specific projects.
The President discharges the duties of Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces and determines their general organisation; promote in rank and role top officials within the hierarchy of the military institutions and to order their cessation. The President presides over the Council of National Defense and proposes to the National Assembly of People’s Power or to the Council of State to declare a state of war in cases of military aggression.
The President can order a general mobilization when the defense of the nation requires it and can declare a state of emergency or situation of disaster, by cases guided in the constitution and giving notice of this decision as soon as possible to the National Assembly of People’s Power or Council of State.
The Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is Head of Government. The Prime Minister is designated by the National Assembly of People’s Power upon proposal of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister serves a 5-year term (the term of Government and of the National Assembly of People’s Power).
The Prime Minister is responsible to the National Assembly of People’s Power and the President of the Republic. The Prime Minister must report and inform their activities and those of the Council of Ministers and its Executive Committee.
The Prime Minister represents the Government of the Republic. Can convene or direct sessions of the Council of Ministers or its Executive Committee. Attends and monitors performance and activities of state central administration organisations, national entities and local administrations.
Under extraordinary circumstances the Prime Minister can temporarily assume direction of any of the state’s central administration organisations.
The Prime Minister notifies the President of the Republic when pertinent organisations are interested in replacing members in the Council of Ministers and proposes the corresponding replacement.
Delivers instructions to provincial governors and monitors their implementation.
The Prime Minister signs legal orders adopted by the Council of Ministers or its Executive Committee.
The Government – Council of Ministers
The Council of Ministers is the highest executive and administration organ and is composed of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, other Ministers, the Secretary and other members set down by law. The Secretary General of the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba can also participate in sessions of the Council of Ministers by right.
The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, the Secretary and other members determined by the President also make up the Executive Committee, which may make decisions regarding questions sent to the Council of Minister between sessions.
The Council of Ministers is responsible to the National Assembly of People’s Power and must submit reports of its activities to it.
The Council of Ministers jobs include organising and directing execution of political, economic and social, cultural, scientific and defense activities that were agreed to by the National Assembly of People’s Power. Also proposes general goals and objectives for development of the state’s short, medium and long term social and economic development, approved by the National Assembly of People’s Power, after which the Council of Ministers will organise, direct and monitor their execution.
Also approves and submits international treaties for the ratification of the Council of State. Directs and monitors foreign commercial relations and foreign investment. Also prepares the state’s Budget and once approved by the National Assembly of People’s Power, will ensure its execution.
Can also prepare legislative proposals and submit them for the consideration of the National Assembly of People’s Power or Council of State.
Provides for national defense, maintenance of internal security and order, protection of citizen’s rights, safeguard lives and property in case of disaster.
Direct administration of the state. Evaluate and adopt decisions from provincial governors.
Executes laws and agreements of the National Assembly of People’s Power. Also executes decrees of the Council of State and President and to regulate them if needed.
Make sure Municipal Assemblies, other councils and administrations are following the constitution with power to propose or directly suspend agreements and other policies.
Legislative Government
The National Assembly of People’s Power is a unicameral chamber of parliament that makes up legislative government. The Council of State is made up of 31-members that operates between sessions of the National Assembly and its members are elected by the members of the National Assembly of People’s Power.
The National Assembly of People’s Power currently has 605 members (which will reduce to 474 members after the 2023 election after the assembly passed legislation to do so). After selection of the National Assembly of People’s Power they will select their President of the Assembly, Vice-President of the Assembly and Secretary from among its members.
The President of the Assembly presides over sessions of the National Assembly of People’s Power and the Council of State and ensures enforcement of their bylaws. Convokes sessions of the National Assembly and Council of State. Proposes the daily agenda of the National Assembly and the Council of State.
The National Assembly’s duties include agreeing to constitutional amendments; approve and modify legislation and can submit them to prior consultation of the people if deemed appropriate; adopts agreements in correspondence with the law and ensures and monitors their enforcement; ensures laws and decrees are constitutional; ratifies decrees with the force of law and agreements of the Council of State; can partially or fully revoke decrees and general provisions that go against the constitution or laws including that of Municipal Assemblies; also mirrors many of the Council of Ministers duties; approves the state budget; establish, modify or terminate taxes; declares or gives consent to declaration of war and approves peace treaties; establish and modify territorial matters; create or terminate organisations of the central administration of the state; appoint permanent or temporary commissions or friendly parliamentary groups; grant amnesty.
The National Assembly of People’s Power also chooses the President and Vice-President of the Republic every 5-years; designates the Prime Minister every 5-years at the proposal of the President of the Republic; designates the Deputy Prime Ministers and other members of the Council of Ministers at the proposal of the President of the Republic; Chooses the President of the People’s Supreme Court, Attorney General and Comptroller and their deputies; Chooses the President and other members of the National Electoral Council; Chooses the vice-presidents and magistrates of the People’s Supreme Court.
Can revoke/remove all of the above.
Electoral System
A president and vice-president are elected every 5-years by the National Assembly of People’s Power (the unicameral parliament) by an absolute majority vote. One person can serve as president for the max of two consecutive terms.
Requirements for President and Vice-President are being at least 35-years or older, having Cuban citizenship from birth, not possessing any other citizenship and enjoying all civil and political rights. A person over the age of 60 can also not be elected to a first term.
The Prime Minister is elected every 5-years by the National Assembly of People’s Power by an absolute majority vote. The candidate is proposed by the President of the Republic.
Requirements for Prime Minister are being representative within the National Assembly of People’s Power, being at least 35-years or older, full enjoyment of civil and political rights and to be a Cuban citizen from birth and not possess any other citizenship.
Elections for the National Assembly of People’s Power happens every 5-years and members are elected from multi-member districts using a multi-round system where candidates require an absolute majority. Candidates to be elected are compiled by the National Candidature Commission after proposals from Municipal Assemblies, Civil Unions and Committees for the Defense of the Revolution.
All members who are elected to the chamber come under the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution banner as a single entity.
The 5-years term of the National Assembly can be extended by a two-third vote of members only under exceptional circumstances.
To vote in elections one must be a Cuban citizen who is at least 16-years-old and to not have been disqualified from voting by the judiciary or prevented from voting due to a disability. Voting is not mandatory.
Sources
The source for this is from the country’s 2019 constitution on constitueproject.org and so should be as accurate as possible but of course as always there is a chance, I may have misinterpreted some parts and also the constitution can be changed and so this may eventually become outdated so cross-research is important if using in a serious capacity. Some information on population from the CIA World Factbook.
A proposal for constitutional amendment can be put forth by the President of the Republic, the Council of State, a representative of the National Assembly of People’s Power that is signed by no less than a third of members or by the Central National Council of Cuban Workers and the national authorities of other mass and social organisations.
Citizens can also put forth a petition of constitutional amendment to the National Assembly of People’s Power that is signed by at least 50,000 registered voters.
Passage of a constitutional amendment requires a two-third majority vote in the National Assembly of People’s Power and if it concerns authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State or any rights and duties then a national referendum will also be needed.
The political, social and economic system cannot be amended under any circumstance.
Next up will be the government system of Cyprus.
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