Congress of Cuba

Congress of Cuba
Miguel Teurbe Tolón · Public domain · source
Name	Congress of Cuba
Native name	Congreso de Cuba
House type	Unicameral (de jure)
Established	1902 (origins); 1976 (current constitution)
Preceded by	Cuban Republic (1902–1959), Constitution of 1940 (Cuba)
Session room	Havana
Leader1	President of the National Assembly
Meeting place	El Capitolio (Havana)

Congress of Cuba is the popularly used English name for the national legislative body in Cuba, formally known as the National Assembly of People's Power. The institution traces lineages to the Cuban Republic (1902–1959), the Revolution of 1959, and the Constitution of 1976 (Cuba), and operates within the constitutional framework amended in 2019. The body functions alongside the Council of State (Cuba), the Council of Ministers (Cuba), and the Communist Party of Cuba in the island's political architecture.

History

The roots extend to the Government of Cuba (1902) following independence from Spanish–American War outcomes and the Platt Amendment. During the Fulgencio Batista era and the Cuban Revolution, legislative institutions underwent upheaval culminating in the 1959 revolutionary period led by Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, and allies such as Che Guevara. The 1976 constitution created the modern assembly, influenced by Soviet Union models and practices seen in the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Subsequent constitutional revisions, including those in 1992 Cuban constitutional referendum, 2002 Cuban constitutional referendum, and 2019 referendum, reshaped its remit amid events like the Special Period in Cuba and changing relations with United States–Cuba relations, Venezuela–Cuba relations, and People's Republic of China–Cuba relations. International interactions included delegations and meetings with delegations from United Nations General Assembly, Organization of American States, and parliamentary exchanges with bodies such as the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the National People's Congress.

Structure and Composition

The assembly is nominally unicameral, with a President, multiple Vice Presidents, and a Secretariat drawn from elected deputies. Deputies convene in plenary sessions at venues like El Capitolio (Havana) and secondary committees named after figures such as José Martí and Camilo Cienfuegos. The Council of State functions as an executive committee between sessions, historically chaired by figures including Fidel Castro (de facto), Raúl Castro, and later successors like Miguel Díaz-Canel. Committees mirror thematic areas linked to ministries such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cuba), Ministry of the Interior (Cuba), and Ministry of Economy and Planning (Cuba), and work with institutions like the Central Bank of Cuba and the National Office of Statistics and Information (Cuba). The assembly includes deputies representing provinces such as La Habana Province, Santiago de Cuba Province, and Pinar del Río Province.

Powers and Functions

Constitutional powers include enacting laws under the Constitution of Cuba (2019), approving national plans and budgets associated with Plan Nacional de Desarrollo, ratifying treaties such as agreements with European Union–Cuba relations partners, and electing key state bodies including the Council of State (Cuba) and the Council of Ministers (Cuba). It oversees national programs tied to institutions like the Cuban National Series (for cultural policy) and national projects involving Cimex and Corporación Panamericana. In foreign affairs, the assembly ratifies accords and receives credentials from ambassadors accredited under protocols used with countries including Russia, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil.

Legislative Process

Bills may be proposed by deputies, the Council of Ministers (Cuba), mass organizations such as the Federation of Cuban Women, Central de Trabajadores de Cuba, or municipal assemblies; draft laws are debated in committees and plenary sessions and approved by majority vote per procedural rules established in the constitution and standing orders. Major reforms have followed consultations with civic entities such as the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and consultations during national debates on reforms like the 2019 constitution and labor laws linked to Workers' Central Union of Cuba. Once passed, laws are promulgated by the President of Cuba and implemented by ministries such as Ministry of Justice (Cuba) and Ministry of Finance and Prices.

Elections and Membership

Deputies are elected to represent municipalities and provinces in nominations mediated by a candidacy commission involving entities like the Electoral Commission (Cuba) and municipal assemblies. Electoral cycles have varied with constitutional changes; deputies have included revolution-era figures and local leaders from neighborhoods organized by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution and professional organizations including University of Havana alumni and trade unionists from Central de Trabajadores de Cuba. International observers, including delegations from bodies like Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Latin American legislatures, have at times commented on electoral processes in the context of United States embargo against Cuba and wider diplomatic debates.

Relationship with the Communist Party

The Communist Party of Cuba is constitutionally recognized as the "leading force" of society and state, shaping policy and candidate selection through mechanisms including party commissions and consultations with the National Assembly. Prominent party leaders such as Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro, and Miguel Díaz-Canel have historically held simultaneous roles within the party and state organs, reflecting links between party leadership and institutions like the Council of Ministers (Cuba), Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, and the Politburo of the Communist Party of Cuba. The party coordinates with mass organizations such as the Federation of University Students (FEU) and the Federation of Cuban Women to influence legislative priorities and national campaigns tied to economic measures and social programs.

Notable Sessions and Legislation

Significant sessions include approval of the 1976 constitution and the 2019 constitutional reform, debate and passage of economic measures during the Special Period in Cuba, adoption of laws on foreign investment such as frameworks aligning with Mariel Special Development Zone, and legislation affecting social programs tied to Healthcare in Cuba and Education in Cuba. The assembly has enacted laws related to property, tourism linked to Grupo Gaviota, and measures responding to crises such as hurricanes like Hurricane Irma (2017) and pandemics including COVID-19 pandemic in Cuba. Notable deputies and speakers have included figures associated with revolutionary history and diplomacy, and the assembly has hosted interparliamentary engagements with delegations from the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America and other regional blocs.

Category:Politics of Cuba