A new era is dawning on Cuba.
On April 19, Cuba’s National Assembly came together to officially elect the nation’s
next president.
It was the second leadership change in the communist country since 1959.
And for the first time in nearly six decades, the new leader isn’t a Castro.
I’m Judah with NowThis World and in today’s episode we’re looking back at the Castros’
legacy, and asking the question: What’s next for Cuba?
First, in order to know where they are headed, let’s start with where they’ve been.
Fidel Castro.
Fidel Castro first came to power in 1959 after orchestrating a coup that ousted the nations
then U.S.-backed dictator.
Soon after Castro took control of Cuba, located just over 100 miles off the shore of The United
States, he established the first communist state in the western hemisphere.
During the 1960s, the Republic of Cuba continued to align itself with The Soviet Union.
A move that raised lots of red flags for the United States.
Castro also allowed the Soviet Union to begin secretly storing nuclear-capable ballistic
missiles in Cuba.
Eventually, the missiles were removed from the island --- but tensions with its neighbor
to the north would remain high.
The United States broke off all diplomatic ties to the island-nation and imposed a number
of sanctions which officially banned all trade and commercial activity between the nations.
The embargo negatively affected the economic and social lives of Cubans.
Castro’s rule didn’t only have international implications, it also affected domestic affairs.
He set up a one-party political system taking control of every aspect of Cuban life, expanding
the nations social services to everyone, free of charge.
According to Human Rights Watch, Castro had a track record of repression.
During his rule thousands of Cubans were incarcerated in quote “abysmal prisons,” thousands
were harassed, and an entire generation lacked basic political freedom in his one-party country.
His policies also led to an exodus of Cubans to the United States.
After Castro began confiscating private lands, many upper and middle class people fled the
nation.
Cuban residents were also cut off from the outside world.
He banned all information flow into and out of the country.
And this is how the people of Cuba lived for nearly five decades under Fidel.
In 2006, when his health began to decline, he provisionally turned over power to his
brother, Raul.
In 2008, Fidel Castro officially resigned and handed the presidency over to his younger
brother, Raul.
Although Raul was considered a hardline communist, some experts viewed Raul as a more pragmatic
leader than his elder brother.
And those experts might have been right.
Just a few months in, he had lifted a nationwide ban on the private ownership of mobile phones
and computers, announced the reversal of a policy that mandated equal pay for all, and
cut back restrictions on the amount of private farms Cubans could own.
In addition to all this, he also began to take a softer approach to dissent in his country.
Instead of long prison terms that Fidel implemented for protesters, Raul changed the state’s
policy to detain protesters for a few hours or days rather than years in prison.
He also limited the amount of time that government leaders can serve.
In 2011, he called for two, five year-term limits for senior government and party officials.
He also made the historic decision to establish diplomatic relations with the United States
and welcomed then U.S. President Barack Obama to Cuba for a state visit.
It was the first time a sitting U.S. president visited the island nation since Fidel’s
1959 revolution.
But Raul’s presidency hasn’t only been one of progress.
Under his rule the nation’s economy has also grown at a rather slow pace.
As Raul’s last term comes to a close, many Cubans hope his successor can follow through
on the reforms he was unable to complete.
Which brings us back to today, and the nation’s election that just took place on April 19th.
Then vice-president and Castro loyalist Miguel Diaz-Canel was selected by the nation’s
legislative body, The National Assembly, to become the next president of Cuba.
But what exactly could his presidency mean for the Island?
Little is known on how much Diaz-Canel will change the Island nation, or if he’ll run
the nation the way its been run for the last 59 year.
While he was previously seen as a moderate who once said he’d be “more responsive”
to the public’s concerns.
Just last year a video from a high-level communist meeting was leaked, where he was heard lashing
out against political dissidents, the media and foreign embassies.
He’s also not expected to ease tensions with the The U.S. either.
He recently rejected the U.S. ‘ demands to change its economic and political systems.
And while he will be the first non-Castro president in over 59 years, Raul Castro will
remain the Secretary of the Communist Party for the years to come, a position that wields
just as much influence as the presidency in the country.