Cuba: the end of Castro’s era
It is the end of Castro’s era for Cuba, as Raul Castro steps down leaving the Country in deep crisis.
Three years ago, the end of Castro’s era was approaching. In fact, Raul Castro had already announced that he would have stepped down in 2021 as the head of Cuba’s powerful communist party. Surely, he had envisioned the island on a very different – and firmer- economic situation. Unfortunately, things have not worked exactly as Castro’s plans since a Pandemic was not expected. In fact, the tourism-dependent island has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic and according to the government’s data the economy shrunk by 11% in 2020. The island is now in a shortage of food, medicines, and other necessities. Furthermore, despite all the efforts done to thwart the spread of the virus, the pandemic is still hitting Cuba and it seems that there will be a need for more months to develop a Cuban Vaccine against COVID-19.
The end of Castro’s era: will the family stop having an influence on Cuba?
Despite the deep uncertainty the County lives in, Cubans witnessed a historic “changing of the guard” during this 8th Congress for the Cuban Communist Party – which is also the only political party permitted in the Country. The Congress started on Friday, timed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the U.S. defeat against Cuba.
Now that Raul Castro stepped down, no one with the name of Castro will occupy a senior position of leadership for the first time in 60 years. However, the Castro family will keep playing an important role in the socio-political dynamics of the Country.
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