Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba
Encyclopedia
The Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, the governing political party
of Cuba
, took place on April 16 – 19, 2011. The main focus of the congress was to introduce economic, social, and political reforms in order to modernize the country's socialist system
. The Communist Party of Cuba
has also elected Raúl Castro
its First Secretary, the position vacant since Fidel Castro
's stepping down in 2006.
was undergoing a severe depression, known as the Special Period
. Nevertheless, no significant economic reforms emerged during the Fifth Congress. The Sixth Congress had been scheduled for 2009, but was postponed due to the global economic crisis. On November 9, 2010 the Draft Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution were released, followed by a period of public discussions and consultations between December 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. According to the Cuban government, 8.9 million people were involved in this phase, resulting in changes to 68% of the guidelines and increasing their number from 291 to 311.
, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of thwarting the Bay of Pigs Invasion
. It was followed by the President of Cuba
and the party's Second Secretary Raúl Castro
's presentation of the Central Report. In terms of economics, some of the key notes include proposal to gradually abolish the practice of distributing subsidized
goods by means of rationing
, blamed for hoarding
and providing disincentive to work, while firmly rejecting the idea of a shock therapy
. Concerning the non-strategic parts of the economy, Castro talked about the benefits of reducing the role of the public sector
, as well as of decentralization
and deregulation
.
The speech also addressed the need for political reforms, including the suggestion to limit those holding high political offices to two five-year terms in order to rejuvenate the country's institutions.
On April 17 – 18, 997 delegates, representing some 800,000 party members, divided into five commissions, debated on the Draft Economic and Social Guidelines and approved the Central Report.
On April 19, the delegates approved 313 guidelines from the Draft, having modified 86 and added 2. Raúl Castro was elected to be the party's First Secretary, while the position of the Second Secretary went to Jose Ramon Machado Ventura
, Cuba's First Vice President. Members of the Central Committee
, Secretariat, and the Politburo
were elected as well, while the size of the latter was reduced from 24 to 15 members. During the closing ceremony- attended by Fidel Castro, making a rare appearance- Raul Castro expressed satisfaction with the results of the Congress, stating that the reforms are to be gradually implemented over a five-year period.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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...
, took place on April 16 – 19, 2011. The main focus of the congress was to introduce economic, social, and political reforms in order to modernize the country's socialist system
Politics of Cuba
Cuba is constitutionally defined as a "socialist state guided by the principles of José Martí, and the political ideas of Marx, the father of communist states, Engels and Lenin." The present Constitution also ascribes the role of the Communist Party of Cuba to be the "leading force of society and...
. The Communist Party of Cuba
Communist Party of Cuba
The Communist Party of Cuba is the governing political party in Cuba. It is a communist party of the Marxist-Leninist model. The Cuban constitution ascribes the role of the Party to be the "leading force of society and of the state"...
has also elected 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...
its First Secretary, the position vacant since 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...
's stepping down in 2006.
Background
The Party hadn't convened since 1997, when Cuba's economyEconomy of Cuba
The economy of Cuba is a largely centrally planned economy dominated by state-run enterprises overseen by the Cuban government, though there remains significant foreign investment and private enterprise in Cuba...
was undergoing a severe depression, known as the Special Period
Special Period
The Special Period in Time of Peace in Cuba was an extended period of economic crisis that began in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and, by extension, the Comecon. The economic depression of the Special Period was at its most severe in the early-to-mid 1990s before slightly declining...
. Nevertheless, no significant economic reforms emerged during the Fifth Congress. The Sixth Congress had been scheduled for 2009, but was postponed due to the global economic crisis. On November 9, 2010 the Draft Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution were released, followed by a period of public discussions and consultations between December 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. According to the Cuban government, 8.9 million people were involved in this phase, resulting in changes to 68% of the guidelines and increasing their number from 291 to 311.
Organization
The congress was opened on April 16 with a large military parade in HavanaHavana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of thwarting the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
. It was followed by the 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 party's Second Secretary 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...
's presentation of the Central Report. In terms of economics, some of the key notes include proposal to gradually abolish the practice of distributing subsidized
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
goods by means of rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
, blamed for hoarding
Hoarding
Hoarding or caching is a general term for a behavior that leads people or animals to accumulate food or other items in anticipation of future need or scarcity.-Animal behavior:...
and providing disincentive to work, while firmly rejecting the idea of a shock therapy
Shock therapy (economics)
In economics, shock therapy refers to the sudden release of price and currency controls, withdrawal of state subsidies, and immediate trade liberalization within a country, usually also including large scale privatization of previously public owned assets....
. Concerning the non-strategic parts of the economy, Castro talked about the benefits of reducing the role of the public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
, as well as of decentralization
Decentralization
__FORCETOC__Decentralization or decentralisation is the process of dispersing decision-making governance closer to the people and/or citizens. It includes the dispersal of administration or governance in sectors or areas like engineering, management science, political science, political economy,...
and deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
.
The speech also addressed the need for political reforms, including the suggestion to limit those holding high political offices to two five-year terms in order to rejuvenate the country's institutions.
On April 17 – 18, 997 delegates, representing some 800,000 party members, divided into five commissions, debated on the Draft Economic and Social Guidelines and approved the Central Report.
On April 19, the delegates approved 313 guidelines from the Draft, having modified 86 and added 2. Raúl Castro was elected to be the party's First Secretary, while the position of the Second Secretary went to Jose Ramon 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...
, Cuba's First Vice President. Members of the Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
, Secretariat, and the Politburo
Politburo
Politburo , literally "Political Bureau [of the Central Committee]," is the executive committee for a number of communist political parties.-Marxist-Leninist states:...
were elected as well, while the size of the latter was reduced from 24 to 15 members. During the closing ceremony- attended by Fidel Castro, making a rare appearance- Raul Castro expressed satisfaction with the results of the Congress, stating that the reforms are to be gradually implemented over a five-year period.