Cuban Elections

Here are two perspectives on the Cuban election that took place Monday. All the candidates for the parliamentary seats ran unopposed, as is standard practice in Cuba. However this election has particular relevance because it is the start of the process that will likely select Fidel Castro's successor. On February 24th the just-elected assembly will appoint a 31 person council, which in turn will decide the new president.

The first article provides an international perspective on the election from the BBC Mundo. The second from is from Granma, the official paper of Cuba’s Communist Party.

Cuba: ratifican diputados from BBC Mundo

La presidenta de la Comisión Electoral Nacional (CEN), María Ester Reus, informó en conferencia de prensa que los 614 candidatos a diputados del parlamento cubano fueron ratificados en las urnas este domingo.

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Elecciones con buena salud from Granma

PINAR DEL RÍO.— Hace apenas una semana Héctor García no habría imaginado que este 20 de enero lo sorprendería fuera de casa. Pero los caprichos de una enfermedad que lo atacó de repente, lo obligaron a permanecer hospitalizado este día en que más de medio millón de pinareños acudieron a las urnas.

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