Cuban National Assembly of People's Power meets

Photos via Estudios Revolución

By Angélica Paredes López, translated from the Spanish

With Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, leader of the Cuban Revolution, joining via videoconference, and the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, present, the Sixth Ordinary Session of the National Assembly of People's Power in its 10th Legislature was held this Thursday.

While welcoming the deputies present in the plenary hall of the Palace of Conventions and those participating from various regions of the country, Esteban Lazo Hernández, a member of the Political Bureau and the president of both the Parliament and the Council of State, called for a responsible debate on economic and social issues, "aligned with the concerns of the people, who demand results from our management."

Lazo Hernández reflected on the intricate economic, social, and political situation the country is facing. He recalled the 69th anniversary of the historic meeting between Fidel and Raúl at Cinco Palmas on December 18, 1956, confident that with "seven rifles," the war would be victorious.

With the determination and spirit of Cinco Palmas, we confront this highly complex situation, he emphasized.

In the early minutes of the day, homage was given to deputies Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Eduardo Torres Cuevas, who passed away this year. These devoted Cubans spent their lives defending the Homeland. A minute of silence was observed for those who, despite working in various fields, shared common ideals and devoted decades of effort and dedication to their people, showing great loyalty to the Revolution and its leaders.

DECLARATION OF SUPPORT FOR VENEZUELA AND IN DEFENSE OF PEACE

The deputies approved a Declaration condemning the aggressive escalation of the United States government against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The text vehemently denounces the recent act of piracy and maritime terrorism that occurred in international waters of the Caribbean Sea on December 10, when U.S. military forces attacked an oil tanker near Venezuela's coast.

The adopted document also denounces the decision by the United States government to enforce a purported naval blockade against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, aimed at hindering free trade in fuel. This action represents a grave breach of international law and the United Nations Charter, while simultaneously disturbing regional peace.

The Declaration denounces these actions as part of a series of provocations and aggressions by the current U.S. government against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This situation has intensified following the U.S.'s disproportionate and unjustified military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, which threatens the peace, security, and stability of the region.

Cuban deputies warn that the seizure of the ship, the theft of its cargo, and the pretexts used to obstruct oil shipments reveal Washington's real aim in its increasingly aggressive actions against Venezuela. This aim is to gain control over Venezuela's vast natural resources by boosting the U.S. military presence in the region and employing the use of force as part of its new National Security Strategy and the "Trump Corollary," which revives the notorious Monroe Doctrine.

Similarly, the text notes that the Latin American and Caribbean region was proclaimed a Zone of Peace by all the Heads of State and Government of the region, at the Second Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held in Havana, in 2014. "This Proclamation remains in full force, and must be respected. It is an obligation of all governments to our peoples."

The deputies of the National Assembly of People's Power of the Republic of Cuba call on the peoples and parliaments of the world to firmly condemn this escalation in aggression against the Bolivarian nation.

"It is our duty to mobilize in the repudiation of these practices of modern piracy, in the denunciation of the threat and use of force, in the call to stop the criminal intentions of the White House against sister Venezuela, and in defense of the peace, security and stability of Our America," concludes the declaration adopted in the National Assembly of People's Power.

NEW DEPUTIES IN PARLIAMENT

In this session, 8 newly elected deputies took office. Deputy Litza Elena González Desdín, the national president of the University Student Federation, read the oath on behalf of everyone, reaffirming their steadfast loyalty to Cuba and its citizens. Each participant then signed the document simultaneously at the Convention Center and in their respective locations, connected via videoconference.

At the moment, out of a total of 470 seats in the Cuban Parliament, 464 are filled. Of these, 267 are women, for 57.4%; and 135 young people, between 19 and 40 years of age, which represents 29%.

The eight new deputies are:

Litza Elena González Desdín, who serves as national president of the University Student Federation, deputy for Calixto García, Holguín.

Vivian de Guadalupe Leal Cuesta, deputy for the municipality of Diez de Octubre, Havana.

Yipsy Romo Varona, deputy for San Miguel del Padrón, Havana.

Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, deputy for Marianao, Havana.

Yasel Toledo Garnache, deputy for Santiago de Cuba.

Niurka García Lorenzo, deputy for Chambas, Ciego de Ávila

Ana María Baró, deputy for Camagüey

Roberto Javier Torres, deputy for Manuel Tames, Guantánamo.

TOPICS TO BE DEBATED

On the agenda for the supreme state authority on Thursday were:

• Inauguration of elected deputies

• Deal Checking

• Evaluation of compliance with and impact of the measures of the Government Program to correct distortions and revive the economy

• Presentation of the objectives and goals of the economy for the year 2026

• State Budget Bill for 2026

• Analysis and discussion of the bills: "General of Science, Technology and Innovation"; and "Exceptional Reduction of the Current Term of Office of the Delegates to the Municipal Assemblies of People's Power"

• Update of the Legislative Schedule for the year 2026

• Ratification of decree-laws and agreements of the Council of State

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC