Looking toward 7th Party Congress

Guaranteeing greater representation of all Communist Party members around the country and ensuring that participants increasingly reflect the areas from which they come, were key considerations during the election of delegates to the 7th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, to be held April 16-18.

According to an announcement made at the Party Central Committee Department of Cadre Organization and Policy, 1,000 delegates – similar to the number of participants in the 6th Congress – representing all territories will attend the organization’s most important event.

According to information received, nominations for delegate candidates began in June of 2015, in all Party units around the country, demonstrating the democratic nature of the process. Later, the Party Municipal Committees organized candidate commissions responsible for evaluating nominees and carrying out peer reviews.

Voting for delegates took place February 1-15, 2016, with Fidel and Raúl among the first elected in Santiago de Cuba, and the José Martí district in the municipality of Se­gundo Frente, respectively.

In regards to the composition of the group elected, although all spheres are represented – including the self employed – the agricultural sector dominates with an emphasis on members who can contribute more to debates given their knowledge and experience.

Also noted was the fact that 43.2% of delegates are women, while 84% are university graduates. The average age of delegates is 48 years, although 55 participants are younger than 35.

The entire election process was preceded by work review assemblies and elections to choose those who will hold Party leadership positions, in municipalities, districts and provinces, a process which took place September through December 2015.

Around 1.5 million people, including non-party members, participated in these meetings where also discussed were the implementation of Economic and Social Policy Guidelines, and objectives approved in the First National Party Conference; work with youth; and combating subversive acts and other negative tendencies, such as corruption, crime and social indiscipline.

A review of these issues, with a focus on the Party’s role in solving them, will no doubt feature on the agenda of the upcoming Congress.

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