Cuban presidential election, 2008
Encyclopedia
An indirect presidential election was held in Cuba
on 24 February 2008, in which the National Assembly of People's Power elected a new President of Cuba
and the members of the Council of State
. The election followed the January 2008 parliamentary election
. In the election, Raúl Castro
, who had been Acting President since July 2006, was elected as President, succeeding his brother, Fidel Castro
.
It was initially considered uncertain whether the ailing 81-year-old Fidel Castro would be elected for another term as President of the Council of State or acting president Raúl Castro would formally assume the presidency, but on 19 February Fidel Castro said that he would not seek another term because his physical condition would not allow him to properly carry out the duties of the office.
Raúl Castro, aged 76, was elected as President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers
by a unanimous vote of the National Assembly (on a ballot with only his name for the position) on 24 February 2008. José Ramón Machado Ventura
, at age 77, was elected as First Vice-President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers, contrary to speculation that someone younger would be chosen for the post. Raúl emphasized that his brother remained "Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution", and the National Assembly voted to permit Raúl to consult with Fidel on important issues.
600 deputiess chose to cast united votes for all Council of State candidates, while nine deputies cast selective votes. Castro was elected with a unanimous vote of 609 deputies, while Machado received 601 votes. Juan Almeida Bosque
, Abelardo Colomé Ibarra
, Carlos Lage Dávila
, Esteban Lazo Hernández
, and Julio Casas Regueiro
were elected as Vice-Presidents of the Council of State, all receiving 608 votes except for Lage, who received 609. José Miyar Barruecos was elected as Secretary of the Council of State with 608 votes. 23 other members of the Council of State were elected:
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
on 24 February 2008, in which the National Assembly of People's Power elected a new President of Cuba
President of Cuba
--209.174.31.28 18:43, 22 November 2011 The President of Cuba is the Head of state of Cuba. According to the Cuban Constitution of 1976, the President is the chief executive of the Council of State of Cuba...
and the members of the Council of State
Council of State of Cuba
The Council of State of Cuba is a 31-member body of the government of Cuba, elected by the National Assembly of People’s Power. It has the authority to exercise most legislative power between sessions of the National Assembly of People’s Power, subject to its approval, and to call the National...
. The election followed the January 2008 parliamentary election
Cuban legislative election, 2008
A parliamentary election to the National Assembly of People's Power was held in Cuba on 20 January 2008. According to the Cuban electoral system, one candidate was nominated for each of the 614 seats in the Assembly, and candidates were elected if they received at least 50% of the vote.The date of...
. In the election, Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...
, who had been Acting President since July 2006, was elected as President, succeeding his brother, Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
.
It was initially considered uncertain whether the ailing 81-year-old Fidel Castro would be elected for another term as President of the Council of State or acting president Raúl Castro would formally assume the presidency, but on 19 February Fidel Castro said that he would not seek another term because his physical condition would not allow him to properly carry out the duties of the office.
Raúl Castro, aged 76, was elected as President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers
Council of Ministers of Cuba
The Cabinet of Cuba is the highest ranking executive and administrative body of the Republic of Cuba, and constitutes the nation's government...
by a unanimous vote of the National Assembly (on a ballot with only his name for the position) on 24 February 2008. José Ramón Machado Ventura
José Ramón Machado Ventura
José Ramón Machado Ventura, M.D. is the First Vice-President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers in Cuba...
, at age 77, was elected as First Vice-President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers, contrary to speculation that someone younger would be chosen for the post. Raúl emphasized that his brother remained "Commander in Chief of the Cuban Revolution", and the National Assembly voted to permit Raúl to consult with Fidel on important issues.
600 deputiess chose to cast united votes for all Council of State candidates, while nine deputies cast selective votes. Castro was elected with a unanimous vote of 609 deputies, while Machado received 601 votes. Juan Almeida Bosque
Juan Almeida Bosque
Juan Almeida Bosque was a Cuban politician and one of the original commanders of the Cuban Revolution. After the 1959 revolution, he was a prominent figure in the Communist Party of Cuba; at the time of his death in 2009, he was a Vice-President of the Cuban Council of State and was its third...
, Abelardo Colomé Ibarra
Abelardo Colomé Ibarra
Corps General Abelardo Colomé Ibarra is a Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba and the Cuban Minister of the Interior.He is a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba...
, Carlos Lage Dávila
Carlos Lage Dávila
Carlos Lage Dávila is a Cuban politician. Until 2009, he was a Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba, and Executive Secretary of the Council of Ministers of Cuba. Lage was described as Cuba's de facto prime minister.Lage trained as...
, Esteban Lazo Hernández
Esteban Lazo Hernández
Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández is a vice-president of the Cuban Council of State and a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.- References :...
, and Julio Casas Regueiro
Julio Casas Regueiro
Corps General Julio Casas Regueiro was a Cuban politician. He was a Vice-President of the Council of State and the Minister of Defense....
were elected as Vice-Presidents of the Council of State, all receiving 608 votes except for Lage, who received 609. José Miyar Barruecos was elected as Secretary of the Council of State with 608 votes. 23 other members of the Council of State were elected:
- José Ramón Balaguer CabreraJosé Ramón Balaguer CabreraJosé Ramón Balaguer Cabrera was the Minister for Health in Cuba until July 2010.. He is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Cuba and a member of the Council of State of Cuba...
(608 votes) - Iris Betancourt Téllez (609 votes)
- Roberto Fernández RetamarRoberto Fernández RetamarRoberto Fernández Retamar is a Cuban poet, essayist, literary critic and President of the Casa de las Américas. In his role as President of the organization, Fernández also serves on the Council of State of Cuba. An early close confidant of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, he has remained a central...
(609 votes) - Luis Herrera Martínez (608 votes)
- Orlando Lugo Fonte (608 votes)
- Felipe Pérez RoqueFelipe Pérez RoqueFelipe Ramón Pérez Roque was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba from 1999 to 2009. At his appointment, he was not only the youngest member of the Cuban cabinet but also the only one to be born after the Cuban Revolution in 1959.Pérez Roque was formerly an electronics engineer and leader of...
(609 votes) - Pedro Sáez Montejo (609 votes)
- Ramiro Valdés Menéndez (608 votes)
- Francisco Soberón Valdés (608 votes)
- Carlos Valenciaga Díaz (609 votes)
- Surina Acosta Brook (609 votes)
- Regla Dayamí Armenteros Mesa (609 votes)
- Leopoldo Cintra Frías (609 votes)
- Inés María Chapman Waugh (609 votes)
- María del Carmen Concepción GonzálezMaría del Carmen Concepción GonzálezMaría del Carmen Concepción González is a Cuban politician and the Cuban Minister of Food Industries . She was appointed as a result of the 2009 shake-up by Raúl Castro. She is a Deputy to the National Assembly of Popular Power...
(608 votes) - María Yolanda Ferrer Gómez (609 votes)
- Guillermo García Frías (608 votes)
- Tania León Silveira (609 votes)
- Álvaro López Miera (608 votes)
- Julio Martínez Ramírez (609 votes)
- Dignora Montano Perdomo (609 votes)
- Juan José Rabilero Fonseca (606 votes)
- Salvador Valdés Mesa (609 votes)