LEADERSHIP

Cuba’s president holds the most political power. The president governs like a dictator and has absolute authority. The president is elected* by the National Assembly for a five-year term.

*Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed.*

LEGISLATURE

The National Assembly of People’s Power is the country’s unicameral legislature. The number of seats is based on Cuba’s population (currently 605 seats). Candidates are selected and approved by the government before the people can vote for them. Members serve five-year terms.

AUTOCRACY​

Cuba has been an autocratic dictatorship since Fidel Castro used military force to overthrow the government in 1959. Since this time, there has been one leader (Fidel or Raul) who holds unlimited power over the country. Even though citizens get to “vote”, they do not get to select the candidates or make the laws.

ROLE OF THE CITIZENS

Citizens have few freedoms. Men and women aged 16 and over may choose to vote, but have limited choices. There is only one political party (the Communist Party) that is allowed in Cuba. It has been controlled by Fidel or Raul Castro since 1959.

Even though they get to vote, Cubans have no real opportunity to change their government. Cuba’s president and the Communist Party control all aspects of the citizens’ lives.  The government denies citizens personal freedoms and rights, and those that protest are either jailed or killed. The government also restricts what information the citizens can access by censoring all media sources.