Prime Minister

Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...

 of Cuba

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...

was a position in the government of Cuba. 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...

 assumed the position of Prime Minister in 1959 replacing José Miró Cardona

José Miró Cardona

José Miró Cardona was a Cuban politician. He served as Prime Minister for a period of some six weeks in early 1959, following his appointment by President Manuel Urrutia on January 5, 1959...

.

The office was abolished on December 2, 1976 following a restructuring of the government and the implementation of a new Constitution of Cuba

Constitution of Cuba

Since attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba has had five constitutions. The current constitution was drafted in 1976 and has since been amended.-1901 Constitution:The 1901 Constitution was Cuba's first as an independent state...

. Castro became president 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...

 (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 president of 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...

, elected by the National Assembly. The Prime Minister of Cuba was also referred to as the Premier

Premier

Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...

. The role of president of the Council of Ministers is sometimes still referred to as the "prime minister".

The role of the Prime Minister was first assigned in 1940 in accordance with the amended Constitution of Cuba

Constitution of Cuba

Since attaining its independence from Spain, Cuba has had five constitutions. The current constitution was drafted in 1976 and has since been amended.-1901 Constitution:The 1901 Constitution was Cuba's first as an independent state...

. The first Prime Minister of Cuba was Carlos Saladrigas Zayas

Carlos Saladrigas Zayas

Carlos Saladrigas Zayas was a Cuban politician and diplomat....

 (1900–1957), the nephew of former President Alfredo Zayas. Between 1940 and 1959 Cuba saw fifteen changes to the position, Félix Lancís Sánchez

Félix Lancís Sánchez

Félix Lancís Sánchez was a Cuban politician and Prime Minister of Cuba.He was an lawyer, who served as Senator, Minister of Education and was twice Prime Minister of Cuba...

 was Prime Minister twice (1944–1945 and 1950–1951) whilst Fulgencio Batista

Fulgencio Batista

Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....

 held the role concurrently alongside that of President of Cuba for one month (April 1952) following a military coup.