April 16, local time, the 8th National Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba opened at the Havana Convention Palace. Raul Castro, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, and Diaz-Carnell, President of Cuba, attended the meeting.
In his work report on behalf of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Raul Castro officially announced that he would no longer accept the offer to continue to hold the highest leadership positions in the party, saying: “I will continue to fight in the ranks of the Party as a revolutionary warrior, contribute to the cause of the Party, and fight for the defence of socialism for life.”
“According to the eight agenda items of the Communist Party of China, the leadership of the new party will be elected on the closing day of the 19th.
Raul Castro, who turns 90 in June, succeeded Fidel Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee in 2011 and was re-elected in 2016 at the 7th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba.
Since Raul Castro assumed the highest leadership position in the Party, Cuba has pursued a series of new policies to promote reforms in Cuba, especially the updating of its economic and social model, with positive results in political, economic, social and diplomatic fields.
Stepping down as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) Central Committee means Raul Castro has officially withdrawn from the leadership of Cuba’s ruling party after stepping down as head of state in 2018.
