Diaz-Canel Expected to Win 2nd Term Tomorrow

[Corylax18]

This isn't really news as much as a forgone conclusion, but Miguel Diaz-Canel is expected to win the Cuban Parliament's Vote for President tomorrow. He'll continue carrying the Castro brother's torch until Raul eventually kicks the can. 

We have 5 years to wait, but it will be interesting to see if he ends up honoring the 2 term limit for presidents that he supported/helped push into law a couple years ago. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuban-president-diaz-canel-expected-win-second-term-crises-rcna80185

[MrBirdman]

I‘m reminded of a story I heard about a newspaper in Communist Eastern Europe getting in trouble for subversion after an “election”: the next morning’s edition had “JUST IN: COMMUNISTS RETAIN POWER” (or something to that effect). 

[Corylax18]

11 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

I‘m reminded of a story I heard about a newspaper in Communist Eastern Europe getting in trouble for subversion after an “election”: the next morning’s edition had “JUST IN: COMMUNISTS RETAIN POWER” (or something to that effect). 

Yeah, there isn't any independent press in Cuba, so no worries there. However, I'm sure Granma will have "The Count" before the vote is even completed, there really isn't any reason to wait. The parliament is made up of 100% Communist Party Members and Diaz-Canel is the only candidate, but I guess they still feel the need to complete the charade. 

[MrBirdman]

5 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

Yeah, there isn't any independent press in Cuba, so no worries there.

I don’t think there was in this story either - it was the reporters “going rogue.” (As I recall it was in the 80’s when most people in E. Europe were ready to be done with Communism) I suppose that’s one issue with everyone getting news online - headlines can easily be changed and so the juice isn’t really worth the squeeze anymore.

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

This isn't really news as much as a forgone conclusion, but Miguel Diaz-Canel is expected to win the Cuban Parliament's Vote for President tomorrow. He'll continue carrying the Castro brother's torch until Raul eventually kicks the can. 

We have 5 years to wait, but it will be interesting to see if he ends up honoring the 2 term limit for presidents that he supported/helped push into law a couple years ago. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuban-president-diaz-canel-expected-win-second-term-crises-rcna80185

He'll likely emulate Xi and Putin and stack the "election", making him "President" for life. Why not? When in Rome, do as the Romans!

[Corylax18]

11 minutes ago, SCgarman said:

He'll likely emulate Xi and Putin and stack the "election", making him "President" for life. Why not? When in Rome, do as the Romans!

I think its the other way around. Fidel taught these guys how to do it. He was the President, Head of the Communist Party and Commander in Chief of the armed forces for the majority of his life. Neither Xi, nor Putin has achieved that level of absolute control, Yet.

Diaz Canel certainly never will. Raul is Still Comandante en Jefe and that's the most important position in Cuba, Diaz Canel is just there to ensure Raul Gets what he wants. Everybody in Cuba Knows this, weather they support the party or not. Raul is 94 now, I would be stunned if he made it to 99. But, everything in Cuba runs through Raul until he dies. Things will get interesting when he does. 

Fidel and Raul have already done all the "stacking" Miguel needs, again one party, one candidate. Miguel very well may try to get rid of the new law the second Raul dies, however he has now where near the clout that either Castro brother did/does, so I would be surprised if his Coup went that easily.  

[SCgarman]

3 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

I think its the other way around. Fidel taught these guys how to do it. He was the President, Head of the Communist Party and Commander in Chief of the armed forces for the majority of his life. Neither Xi, nor Putin has achieved that level of absolute control, Yet.

Diaz Canel certainly never will. Raul is Still Comandante en Jefe and that's the most important position in Cuba, Diaz Canel is just there to ensure Raul Gets what he wants. Everybody in Cuba Knows this, weather they support the party or not. Raul is 94 now, I would be stunned if he made it to 99. But, everything in Cuba runs through Raul until he dies. Things will get interesting when he does. 

Fidel and Raul have already done all the "stacking" Miguel needs, again one party, one candidate. Miguel very well may try to get rid of the new law the second Raul dies, however he has now where near the clout that either Castro brother did/does, so I would be surprised if his Coup went that easily.  

Hypothetical question. If the Cuban people were actually capable of a successful overthrow of the gov't/military, would they be able to govern the country/elect a leader and/or government? Or...chaos?

[Corylax18]

1 hour ago, SCgarman said:

Hypothetical question. If the Cuban people were actually capable of a successful overthrow of the gov't/military, would they be able to govern the country/elect a leader and/or government? Or...chaos?

Let me preface my response by saying that I have 0 faith in the Cuban people overthrowing anything, the society is now 3 generations deeply ingrained with a passive, victim mentality. Its everyone else's fault. The people that where smart enough or cared enough to actually do anything now live everywhere else in the world. Look at the quotes from the article Rob posted about power cuts. They're bitching about not being able to charge their cell phones, for two hours a day. If that kind of reaction continues to be the norm (and it will) then there will never be any kind of real pushback on the people/system causing the problem. 

Now, to answer your question. No. 

The government keeps telling the people that the US is the bogeyman, we want to take the country over again, exploit its resources and people, blah blah blah. It happened 100 years ago, so it will definitely happen again if democracy comes. I think that's total B.S. especially because Russia and now China have been exploiting the island for Decades and I have a feeling it would continue that way. Puppet "presidents" elected on propaganda from the two largest "communist" countries on the planet. Just like we did 100 years ago. 

Everyone wants to compare The Ukraine and Taiwan, but I think Cuba and Taiwan are much more similar from a geopolitical perspective. The US supports Taiwan to ensure they continue to be a time, and effort drain on the Chinese. The Chinese, Russians, and Venezuelans keep supporting Cuba because its a time and effort drain on the US.

Look at the history of Cuba, I mean all of written history. Columbus lands there and Cuba is exploited by Spain for the next 400ish years, then the Spanish American war happens, we kick out the Spaniards and exploit the island for the next 100ish years. Then comes Fidel, a Cuban, who leads the country to its first real freedom in almost 500 years, I totally understand why the Cubans bit, hook line and sinker as they say. Unfortunately, Fidel's long term plan was a bad one and now Cuba is back to being exploited by its imperialist masters. The government has done a great job hiding that from the population, but its happening. I hate to say it, but Cuba just doesn't know how to be free, they've shown almost no ability to do so in all of written history. 

[NSXCIGAR]

7 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Cuba just doesn't know how to be free,

Yes, the truth is that Cuba is one of the few countries in the western hemisphere that has never been independent at any time. They went from Spanish colony to essentially a US colony to serfs. 

Look at the African countries after colonization. You just have a bunch of competing warlords. Same situation--Africans never had any kind of philosophy of liberty. They did have some in South Africa under the Dutch and that remains the most advanced country in Africa by a country mile. 

Freedom requires a philosophy and education. Limited government doesn't come naturally. If the Cuban regime collapsed tomorrow it's pretty unlikely that the Cubans would just organically embrace some kind of Jeffersonian democracy. 

Very difficult to imagine what the future holds for Cuba. 

[ha_banos]

Now we're going into some real global conspiracy theories here. None of us are free. Very few people want to get involved in high level politics and power. We're all enslaved to money and debt. And the powers up top will keep it that way. For the remainder of my lifetime. 

Cuba? Phew. Wish you guys well. You are, we all, live in interesting times...

[Corylax18]

Its Official. 5 more Years for Diaz Canel. He only won 93.4% of the vote!! apparently two ballots where blank and third was actually for someone else. It doesn't say who. The Vice President and Prime Minister were also reelected. So I don't expect any major changes in Cuba politics or relations for the foreseeable future. 

https://www.granma.cu/cuba/2023-04-19/ratificado-miguel-diaz-canel-bermudez-como-presidente-de-la-republica-de-cuba

[NSXCIGAR]

14 hours ago, ha_banos said:

Now we're going into some real global conspiracy theories here. None of us are free.

Well, I can't say you're wrong about that but for the purposes of this discussion I think we can say the US and other western countries have objectively far more desirable systems than the Cuban, Venezuelan or North Korean systems. 

For now.