Fidel Castro Unopposed In Assembly Elections
HAVANA (CBS4) ― Preliminary results are expected Monday in Cuba's
National Assembly elections, but some outcomes are a foregone conclusion.
Despite his ill health, and the fact that he hasn't been seen in public
for nearly a year and half, Fidel Castro, Cuba's unchallenged "Maximum
Leader" was once again the only candidate for his post.
Castro, who has been unchallenged since 1959, has remained head of the
Council of State, the island's governing body, and re-election to
parliament from Santiago in eastern Cuba makes him eligible to be named
to the post again.
Sunday, Cubans lined before dawn to cast their ballots in the election.
Some 8.4 million voters were being asked to back 614 top Communists,
career politicians, musicians and athletes for posts in the legislature,
known as the National Assembly. Fidel Castro said in a note read on
state television that he voted after electoral officials brought a
special ballot to the undisclosed location where he is recuperating.
Electoral officials said an estimated 95 percent of registered voters
had cast ballots as of an hour before polling stations closed Sunday
evening.
Candidates lose if they do not get more than 50 percent of the vote,
although National Assembly officials don't remember that happening since
Cubans began voting for parliament in 1993.
Castro's younger brother Raul, who has been governing during
Fidel's illness, announced that the new parliament will meet February
24th and declare a new Council of State. The elder Castro has run
unopposed for council head in past parliament votes, but Raul did not
say whether he would again be named council leader or retire.
"We have to face different situations and great decisions," he said.
Among those seeking re-election was National Assembly President
Ricardo Alarcon, who has said for months he will vote to keep Fidel
Castro as head of the Council of State.
"You should have no doubt that he's ready," Alarcon said. "He is in a
position to continue that job, and the vast majority of Cuba will be
more than happy (about that), myself included."
The U.S. government and opposition leaders have dismissed the elections
as a sham. The Cuban government counters that its balloting is more
democratic than most because those running are chosen by municipal
leaders nominated during neighborhood gatherings.
"Looking at the United States, it seems more like a popularity contest
then elections," said Vice President Carlos Lage. "These are elections
without politics, without fraud, without money nor propaganda campaigns
and elections that are based on merit."
Voters at district polling places overseen by schoolchildren were
strongly encouraged to check a single box supporting the full slate of
candidates, although if they object to some candidates, they can mark
individual boxes by names they support and leave others blank.
Many Cubans feel compelled to vote because failing to do so can draw
unwanted attention from pro-government neighborhood watch committees,
whose support can be needed to get jobs, housing or other official
approvals.
A new parliament is elected every five years.
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