The Congress will continue through April 19
Evoking the thinking of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz, who defined the Party as “the soul of the Revolution,” the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, began today in the capital's Convention Center, presided by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Party Central Committee; José Ramón Machado Ventura, second secretary; and Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Republic; among other leaders of the Party and government.
Opening on the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the socialist character of the Revolution by Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz, Cuba, in the voice of Party militants, will once again reaffirm the irrevocability of its emancipatory work and, as expressed in the Congress call, reiterate before the world its "intransigent conviction of victory."
In his opening remarks, Machado Ventura stated, “The Party is a guarantee of national unity and the synthesis of the ideals of dignity, social justice and independence of generations of patriots who preceded us and those who have defended us over all these years of struggle and victory."
He added that in the five years since the 7th Congress, Party members and the entire people have been immersed in important political processes, to implement agreed-upon amended Policy Guidelines, and objectives outlined in the Party’s First National Conference, as well as the new Constitution, ratified in a national referendum.
What has been achieved in these years and what remains to be done, the Second Secretary emphasized, has been analyzed in review and accountability processes of grassroots organizations and the territorial structures of the Party, the findings of which are included in the documents delegates will discuss, once again, and finally approve.
Machado Ventura explained that, in mid-March, the first drafts of these documents were submitted to delegates in their respective provinces, for their consideration in meetings in which other guests participated.
Regarding the coming days of the Congress, he commented that an important portion of delegate’s time will be devoted to working in commissions, facilitating a greater exchange of opinions to reach consensus on issues raised in provinces and thus be able to approve, in a plenary session, the definitive version.
Machado noted that represented among delegates are many different sectors, including production workers, educators, service providers; farmers, intellectuals, scientists, combatants, and retirees, with a composition by gender and skin color that reflects the characteristics of our society, while 94% are university graduates.
Insisting on “the conviction that we will remain true to the legacy of our martyrs and the example of Fidel and Raul», Machado concluded his remarks, thus beginning four days of intense debates and the search for solutions, with no other commitment than to rise to the occasion, to continue the defense of what has been accomplished and to set foot on the path of more conquests.
After the opening remarks, delegates approved documents that will govern the gathering, and subsequently, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz began the presentation of the 8th Congress Central Report.
Included on the agenda to be considered are the updating of the Conceptualization of the Cuban economic and social model of socialist development; the implementation of the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the Party and the Revolution; the socio-economic results obtained since the 7th Congress; the functioning of the Party, its ties with the population; Party ideological activity; and examination of the cadre policy.
Continuity is the watchword of this meeting, which means more the natural process of transition from one generation to another, to become a perennial certainty that socialist Cuba is on the go, today and for all the years to come.
Taken from Granma
