Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel Gets Another Five-Year Term
Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel was re-elected while the country is enduring an economic catastrophe that has forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave. ALEJANDRO ERNESTO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The National Assembly voted on Wednesday to confirm Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel for a second five-year term, maintaining stability despite the island's severe economic crisis, AP reports.

Voters in March ratified more than 400 assembly representatives, and on Wednesday morning, they took office and assembled the chamber to elect the government's leadership and the president.

Cuba President Diaz-Canel won the support of 459 out of 462 legislators.

Salvador Valdés Mesa was ratified as vice president with 439 yes votes.

A terrible recession brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic, skyrocketing inflation brought by a series of financial policy mistakes, and severe sanctions imposed by the US await Diaz-Canel in his new tenure as president.

Many Cubans are unhappy with their lives, expressing dissatisfaction by leaving the country at unprecedented rates.

Food production, increased exports, and the growth of the "socialist-state enterprise," Cuba President Diaz-Canel stated, are among the initiatives his team will be focused on "immediately."

Inflation control, he said, is an integral part of the "economic battle" facing the country.

Thousands of Citizens Have Left Cuba Due to Economy Crisis

Thousands more Cubans have tried to leave the country in desperation because of the economic situation, Al Jazeera noted.

The United States estimates that 306,612 Cubans, or roughly 2% of the island nation's population, entered the country over its southern border with Mexico in 2022.

It is not uncommon for Cubans to try to cross the ocean in rickety boats and make the journey to the United States, a risky endeavor that often ends in tragedy.

An estimated 65 Cubans perished between August 2022 and January 2023 while attempting the journey.

Nonetheless, many Cuba citizens who make it to the United States are detained or deported upon arrival. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration made the controversial decision in January to automatically deport Cuban asylum seekers crossing the border from Mexico.

Instead, the government announced a new "parole" program that would allow Cubans and nationals of three other countries to enter the U.S. for up to two years if they met specific standards, such as having a sponsor who can give financial support.

Cuba President Miguel Diaz-Canel Blames the U.S. for Its Problems

The silver-haired Diaz-Canel has voiced disappointment that he could not restore the island's faltering economy, per Reuters.

On the other hand, he sounded familiar on Wednesday, blaming the United States and its Cold War-era embargo for Cuba's troubles and calling for "continuity" and "creative resistance" to keep the revolution afloat despite rising tensions within the population.

"This forces us to work harder and better, to respond to our people. I'm sure we'll get good results," Cuba President Diaz-Canel said.

As the government attempts to appease the people in the face of worsening shortages and wades into touchy areas like the regulation of the press and the right to protest, his administration will be put to the test soon.

Lawmakers suggested presidential and leadership candidates the day before Wednesday's session, which the National Candidacy Commission reviewed before being put to the vote by the entire house.

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Written by: Bert Hoover

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