Same Regime, New Face

• Raúl Castro Named Cuba’s New President

• By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
• Published: February 24, 2008
• HAVANA — Raúl Castro, who has labored in the shadow of his brother Fidel since the days of the Cuban revolution, became the new president of the Communist island on Sunday, ending his brother’s 49-year rule, as well as speculation that a younger generation would take power.

Umm, just curious, how "young" is Raúl?

• In his first words as president, Mr. Castro made it clear that any changes would be limited, promising to continue to consult his brother on every important decision. He said his brother was still alive and alert, and the time had yet to come when the leaders of the revolution in the 1950s had to pass the baton to a new generation.
• “Fidel is Fidel, you know that well,” he said to the National Assembly shortly after it voted him president. “He is irreplaceable and the people will continue his work even though he is not physically here.”

• Raúl Castro said the government needed to change to survive in the new era. He proposed putting more power in the hands of provincial governments and streamlining the bureaucracy in Havana. “Today a more compact structure is required,” he said.

A good change would be giving more power to the people.

• Carlos Lage, a 56-year-old physician close to the elder Castro who engineered the economy after Soviet aid dried up in the 1990s, remains in the same role he had before, one of five vice presidents.

How many vice presidents do they need? Sounds like too many chiefs and not enough indians.

• The ballot before the Assembly contained 31 names for the top positions in the country, among them president, minister of interior and minister of the armed forces. The delegates have no choice, since there is only one name for each position. The candidates were not immediately made public.

• Perhaps the most important challenge facing the new president is the struggling economy. During his stint as acting president since 2006, Raúl Castro raised expectations among Cubans that he might act to make it easier to earn a decent salary within the state-run system.
• He has criticized the miserly state salaries as insufficient, and encouraged more public debate about the country’s problems. He has called for more productive farms and spoken of “structural changes” that he said were needed to revitalize the economy. So far, however, he has not followed these promises with actions.

• The National Assembly was chosen last month in elections completely controlled by the Communist party, the only political organization permitted on this island of 11 million people. [more here]

Emphasis mine.

Fred on Cuba

• On Cuba
  Posted on January 16th, 2008By Fred in Commentaries, Cuba
  [Fred was the first Presidential candidate to submit an essay to the Candidates on Cuba forum sponsored by Babalu Blog. –Sean]
  United States policy must continue to stand with the Cuban people and against those who have oppressed, terrorized, and murdered so many Cubans over the past half-century. This was my position when I served in the Senate; it is my position today; it will be my position as President.
  Fidel and Raul Castro are unaccountable dictators who can serve no role in Cuba’s future. We must continue supporting the growing internal opposition in Cuba while also denying the regime any source of funding that could prop up this cruel, illegitimate government. This means keeping current sanctions in place, and increasing our efforts to bring about change, until all political prisoners are freed, human rights and basic freedoms are restored, elections are held, civil society is established, and a working democracy exists in Cuba. Any actions or concessions prior to then will only embolden Cuba’s tyrants and give the regime the opportunity to survive beyond the current dictators.
  Cuba’s illegitimate leaders are enemies of the United States and the values of freedom and democracy we hold dear. They have consistently espoused anti-Americanism and opposed our interests around the world, and have sent their spies to the United States to infiltrate our government and communities. And a Cuban government aligned with Venezuela’s dictator Hugo Chavez constitutes a real threat to America’s interests, values and policies in the hemisphere. That is why the United States must remain steadfast in its position, articulated well by Cuban-American leaders now serving honorably in the United States Congress: no concessions until political prisoners are freed, basic human rights are restored, and free and fair elections are conducted so that the Cuban people are free to determine their own destinies. [source]