Share

21 December 2019The Cuban National Assembly today elected Manuel Marrero Cruz as Prime Minister, the first Cuban Prime Minister since 1976. Marrero was elected on the proposal of President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who had personally presented his candidacy, remembering that Marrero Cruz was in the past 17 years minister of tourism. His candidacy was supported unanimously by parliament.

By profession architect, the new prime minister had become tourism minister in 2004.

"The Head of State is expected to have important power and to exercise it with the assistance of a prime minister in government functions," explained Granma, the official newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party. It will be able to "designate or replace the directors and officials" of the central state administration and will have control over the governors of the provinces ".

Until 1976, the premier had been Fidel Castro, who then abolished the position, moving on to that of president and head of the Communist Party of Cuba.