Elections in Cuba are an action of popular participation

 
That request was made admits the fervor of ideas for the Cuba’s independence and was added to international demands for equal rights between men and women.
 
However, voting in our country had no value at that time. Cuba was not an independent republic and government representatives were not elected by mass voting but by imposition. They responded to the interests of the bourgeoisie and those who believed that were owners of this island.
So, elections in Cuba were carried out through fraud, blackmail, violation… fortunately that ended on January the first, 1959 when Cubans received the great news: “the revolution had triumphed”.
Since then, voting is a constitutional right for all the Cuban adults who fulfill all the requirements established by law.
 
So, when I turned 16 years old, I was invited to attend an Assembly candidate nomination. I had some references from my family and the media about such public meeting.
 
When I attended a voting assembly for the first time, I really realized what it was about; what was the essence of the Cuban electoral system. The people choose their candidates to be government representatives.
 
The so-called registration of voters is automatic and free, the voting is voluntary, secret and direct, and the elections are not based on monetary interest. All Cubans are aware of that.
 
Transparency and the role of citizens in the process go further. Those elected can be recalled by the voters at any time of their mandate, and the people have legal authority to control the work of their government representatives as they must give explanations in a systematic way.
 
However, there are some people who insist on discrediting the Cuban electoral system, which may not be perfect but is based on the democracy and credibility and that is evident with popular participation as a indispensable feature.