"The construction
of a prosperous,
sustainable
socialism in Cuba
demands that
the principles
of justice and
equality, which
have served as
the Revolution’s
foundation, be
preserved"
Full text of speech given by First Party
Secretary Raúl Castro, closing the 7th
Congress, April 19, 2016”
Dear compañero Fidel;
Compañeras and compañeros:
We have had intense days of work in this 7th
Congress, drawing to a close, during which
we have adopted agreements of strategic
importance for the present and future of the
nation.
The Congress approved the Central Report
and several resolutions on the principal
subjects analyzed, the implementation of the
Economic and Social Policy Guidelines of the
Party and the Revolution, and their updating
was agreed upon, expressed in 274 guidelines.
Likewise, a report on the fulfillment of the
First Party Conference Objectives
was discussed, and decisions were made to
continue strengthening the Party’s role as
the principal leading force in society and the
state, as established in the Constitution of the
Republic.
At the same time, the Congress favorably
received the proposals presented on the
Conceptualization of the Economic and Social
Model, and the foundations for the Economic
and Social Development Plan through 2030,
and, considering their importance, approved
was the initiation of a broad, democratic
debate on these programmatic documents,
with the membership of the Party, the UJC,
representatives of mass organizations, and
different sectors of society. We hope to
conclude this process before the end of the
current year, so that the Central Committee,
in accordance with the authority granted by
the Congress, can definitively approve them.
Given the great complexity of these proposals,
it is imperative to adopt all of the required
measures in the interest of assuring, in the first
place, that they are understood, which implies
carrying out rigorous training beforehand of
those who will conduct the discussion.
On a subject of this nature, it is essential to
achieve the conscious support of the great
majority; it is therefore imperative to listen,
to reason, and take into consideration the
opinions of members and the people in
general.
I believe it is appropriate to recall that the
process of updating our economic model,
which we initiated at the 6th Congress, is not a
task of one or two five-year periods. The course
has been charted. We will move forward with
firm steps, without haste, but without pause,
keeping in mind that the pace will depend on
the consensus which we are capable of forging
within our society, and the organizational
capacity we achieve to introduce the necessary
changes, without precipitation, or much less
improvisation, which only lead to failure.
Progress toward the updating of our model,
and the construction of a prosperous,
sustainable, and irrevocable socialism in Cuba,
demand that the principles of justice and
equality, which have served as the Revolution’s
foundation, be preserved and strengthened.
A Revolution of the humble, by the humble
and for the humble, as Fidel defined it, with
undeniable social works constructed, will
never find solutions to its problems behind the
backs of the people, or with the restoration of
capitalism, which would imply the application
of shock therapies to layers of the population
with the least resources, and destroy the unity
and confidence of the majority of our citizens
in the Revolution and the Party. In Cuba, I
reiterate once again, no one will be left to their
fate.
Nor will the agreements of this historic
Congress be filed away. On the contrary,
we must ensure their fulfillment with order,
discipline and high expectations, with a vision
of the future, and a great deal of intentionality.
Contributing to this is the decision, reaffirmed
here, that Central Committee plenums will
verify progress being made in the updating of
the economic model and the economic plan,
at least twice a year, for the number of days,
and also the number of times, that may be
necessary.
We likewise propose proceeding with the
analysis of these issues in sessions of the
National Assembly, whose role in the approval
of the legislative framework associated with
this process continues to be decisive.
Today, this morning, presented were the new
Central Committee, Secretariat and Political
Bureau, making evident the continuation
of the gradual process of renovation and
rejuvenation begun at the 6th Congress.
Given the implacable laws of nature, this 7th
Congress will be the last led by the historic
generation, which will pass on the banners of
the Revolution and Socialism to new leaders
(Applause), without the slightest trace of
sadness or pessimism, with the pride of having
fulfilled one’s duty, convinced that they will be
able to continue and magnify the Revolution’s
work, to which great effort was devoted, and
life itself for many generations of compatriots,
as we said in the Central Report, since 1868.
The Central Committee is composed of 142
members, of which a bit more than two thirds
were born after the triumph of the Revolution,
and the average age was reduced to 54.5 years,
younger than in 2011.
At the same time, the Congress agreed to
maintain within the leadership of the Party
a smaller group of veterans of advanced age
from the historic generation, who enjoy
authority with the people, given their long
revolutionary careers.
As we explained in the Central Report,
the next five years will be decisive to
guaranteeing the gradual, well-ordered
transfer of the principal responsibility for the
country to younger generations, a process of
special importance which we hope to carry
out and conclude with the holding of the 8th
Congress in 2021.
The fact that more than 98% of Central
Committee members are university graduates
is impressive.
The representation of women increased,
and has now reached 44.37%, as well as
that of Blacks and mixed race Cubans, with
35.92%. These figures are higher than those
of the previous Congress, but we are not
satisfied. It is imperative that all Party, state
and government leaders work systematically
on the creation of a reserve of mature and
experienced replacements to assume the
principal responsibilities for the nation, in a
just relation to the composition of the Cuban
population in terms of skin color and gender.
The 55 new members of the Central
Committee are all
under 60 years of
age, meeting the
maximum age limit
established by this
Congress for joining
this Party leadership
body, as we have said,
always in the spirit
of guaranteeing the
ongoing rejuvenation
of the leadership.
The maximum of 60
years of age implied
the exclusion from
the candidature of
valuable cadres who
occupy positions of
great responsibility
in the Party, state,
and government
with the proven
records and ability to
be members of this
leadership body.
The norms setting age limits must be
reasonably established in guiding documents
of the Party, mass organizations, and, by
decision of the National Assembly, also
in state and government bodies, in such a
way that the positions which should not be
assumed by persons over the age of 70 are
defined precisely.
The Congress, meanwhile, approved the
use of more flexible regulations which will
allow for the development of reserves for
the subsequent renovation of the Central
Committee during this period, without
having to wait for the 8th Congress.
I also consider necessary that the functioning
of the many associated bodies we have in the
Party, state, and government, continues to
be strengthened, so that important decisions
are always the product of collective analysis,
so that honest disagreements and different
opinions are not excluded.
The Political Bureau is composed of 17
members. Five new members joined the body,
compañeras Miriam Nicado García, Teresa
Amarelle Boué and Marta Ayala Ávila; and
compañeros Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento
and Roberto Morales Ojeda.
These promotions are not fortuitous or
improvised.
In the case of compañera Miriam Nicado, she
is Mathematical Sciences PhD, and has for
several years served as rector of the Computer
Sciences University (UCI). Previously, at the
Marta Abreu Central University in Las Villas,
she was a professor and gradually assumed
greater responsibilities, before becoming the
deputy rector for teaching. She studied in the
Soviet Union for five years, and later another
year of specialization.
Compañera Teresa Amarelle has been the
general secretary of the national leadership
of the Federation of Cuban Women since
2012. She was a middle school teacher and
went on to undertake professional duties in
the UJC, where she served as second and first
secretary of the municipal committee of the
organization in Amancio Rodríguez. Later
she was gradually promoted in the Party in
the same municipality, and held the position
of first secretary, after which she was elected to
the same responsibility at the provincial level
in Las Tunas.
The Doctor of Biological Sciences Marta Ayala
- I think she is the youngest, although among
women these things should not be mentioned
(Laughter) - has had an ascending career at
the Center for Genetic Engineering and
Biotechnology, which has led her from the role
of aspiring researcher, to head of laboratory, to
deputy director, until being recently promoted
to deputy general director of this important
scientific center, where she has conducted
research aimed at creating vaccines for the
treatment of cancer. She is currently a member
of the Party Provincial Committee in Havana.
Meanwhile,
compañero
Ulises Guilarte
has been general
secretary of the
Cuban Workers’
Federation since
2013. He has
held various
responsibilities
as a union leader
in Cienfuegos
and secretary
general of the
Construction
Workers Union
in Havana. He
later went on to
work as a Party
professional, and
was deputy head
of the Central
Committee
Department of
Industry and Construction, and was promoted
to first secretary of the Provincial Committee
in Havana, and later in the nascent,
experimental province of Artemisa.
Finally, compañero Roberto Morales has been
Public Health Minister for the past six years.
Upon graduating, he worked as a polyclinic
doctor in the municipality of Rodas, director
of Public Health at that level and later in
the province of Cienfuegos. In the Party he
was a professional official at the municipal
and provincial level and first secretary in
Cienfuegos, until his appointment to join the
Central Committee Secretariat.
The five new members of the Political Bureau
are also under 60 years of age, a sign of what
could be across our entire leadership, of
humble backgrounds, who worked from the
grassroots, were political leaders at different
levels until reaching the top leadership of the
Party with exquisite and profound experience
(Applause). Naturally, these same conditions
are present in much or the majority of the
rest of the Political Bureau, although they
have not had the same methodical transition
as those noted above. Some of us develop
without a university degree, but at full speed
(Applause), and, as you can appreciate, they
have accumulated a rich service record from
the grassroots, exercising the professions
they studied at university, not as has occurred
many times, that on
obtaining a university
degree, we place it on
the wall of our front
room to display it, but
we never work in the
specialty.
We already corrected
this at the past
Congress, and I
think there have been
good results. Work
should be done at the
grassroots, there can
be no preconceived
leaders, everyone who
graduates must work
five years at least
at the basic level in
the specialty which
they studied at the university, and gradually,
according to their ability, be promoted,
without ever ceasing to study, as Fidel always
taught us, especially the military; a military
man must study his entire life, just as a
professional cadre of the Party, a leader of our
state, for one reason or another, in one place or
another, and not live off the title hanging on
the wall of the front room of our homes.
In my own case, I thank you for the honor
of being elected, for the second time, as first
secretary of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of Cuba, in the knowledge
that my main mission is to defend, preserve,
and continue perfecting Cuban socialism
and never allow for a return to capitalism
(Applause).
Among the set of major tasks in my role, I
will devote the necessary time to the process
of reforming the Constitution of the Republic
– on which, with a group of compañeros,
we have advanced somewhat, or at the very
least exchanged opinions – to introduce the
relevant adjustments, after 40 years in effect,
in line with the changes that have occurred on
the international level, and the modifications
resulting from the process of updating the
economic and social model that, naturally,
need to be defined before proposing to add
them for the new Constitution.
The development of the national economy,
along with the struggle for peace, unity and
our ideological resolve, constitute the principal
missions of the Party.
This concept can not remain a simple phrase,
it must be filled with concrete content in
action and measures to enable us to make the
vision of a sovereign, independent, socialist,
democratic, prosperous and sustainable nation
a reality (Applause).
Before concluding, on behalf of the participants
in this Congress and of all Cubans, I wish to
convey our support for the sister peoples of
the Third World, especially those of Latin
America and the Caribbean, which face the
ambitions of the right wing and transnational
capital to bury the social achievements
reached over decades of struggle.
We reiterate Cuba’s solidarity with the
Brazilian people and the constitutional
President Dilma Rousseff, who faces a
parliamentary coup organized by the
oligarchic, neoliberal right wing, encouraged
by imperialist forces, against the political
and economic progress and the social gains
achieved during the governments of the
Workers’ Party.
We also send our fraternal greetings to the
Communist parties and other forces and
political parties, social movements and
working classes of the planet, fighting against
imperialist hegemony, determined to achieve
inclusive social justice and convinced that a
better world is possible.
I reaffirm our total support to the Ecuadoran
people, President Rafael Correa and the
government of the Citizens’ Revolution
in these painful circumstances. Our team
of rescuers and the medical personnel
reinforcements, sent on Sunday itself, have
already joined the more than 700 collaborators
working in this sister
nation to provide care to
the affected population.
We will remain in
communication with
Ecuadoran authorities,
willing to increase our
support in every possible
way.
Let us not forget that
today, April 19, the 55th
anniversary of the victory
over the mercenary
invasion at Playa Girón
is celebrated, under the
direct leadership in the
theater of operations of
the leader of the Cuban
Revolution, compañero
Fidel Castro Ruz
(Prolonged applause), who has been kept
abreast of all the developments of this event.
We pay tribute to those fallen in this historic
feat, as well as to all those who gave their lives
in defense of the Homeland, the Revolution
and Socialism.
We are just a few days from May Day,
International Workers’ Day, an occasion
that will serve to show the world, with the
enthusiastic and massive participation of
compatriots throughout the entire country,
the unity and support for the resolutions
adopted by this Congress and the socialist and
independent path of the Homeland.
Finally, we wish to wholeheartedly thank
compañero Fidel for the efforts he has made
and the satisfaction with which he read his
brilliant words before us.
Many thanks to you all. (Ovation)
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