Miguel Díaz-Canel Elected as First Secretary of the Communist Party

Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez was elected today as first secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee. He was chosen by the delegates of the 8th Party Congress which took place from Friday to Sunday evening.

The new Political Bureau and the Secretariat were announced during the closing session of the 8th Congress.

Raúl Castro Ruz officially retired from his former position on Friday. He announced the names of 14 members of the Political Bureau which includes nine returning members and five new members. Four women also been elected take up positions within the Party:

• Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández, President of the National Assembly of People’s Power and the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba.
• Salvador Valdés Mesa, Vice President of the Republic of Cuba.
• Roberto Morales Ojeda, Deputy Prime Minister.
• Álvaro López Miera, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.
• Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, Federation of Cuban Workers general secretary.
• Teresa María Amarelle Bué, secretary general of the Federation of Cuban Women’s National Directorate.
• Marta Ayala Ávila, general director of the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center.
• Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister.
• José Amado Ricardo Guerra, Council of Ministers secretary.
• Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja, executive president of the Enterprise Administration Group.
• Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, Minister of the Interior.
• Gladys Martínez Verdecia, first secretary of the Party Provincial Committee in Artemisa.

Source: Granma.cu