They've both been very impressed with the way they conduct their elections.

Thanks for the info. concerning the upcoming elections.

I hope everything goes well for them ... I love that there are so many women and young people running.

Nominate Candidate 1?

Yes / No.

I've been there during nominating sessions and attended several.

For the under informed (in order to counter the anti Cuba propagandists here), this is a thread from the last election season in Cuba (where you will observe the typical pattern of the forum sliding distractionists) ...

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=405&topic_id=31936&mesg_id=34729

I assumed (maybe incorrectly) that you were inferring that there is only one nominated candidate per district election.
Is that what you're saying?

If you want to be in the National Assembly of Peoples power you have to prove your loyalty and patriotism and crap.

You can't just go out and say "Hey, I want to work for the National Assembly, here's what I believe."

Indeed, that would be campaigning, which is expressly forbidden.

All you get to do is get to have your picture and a small bio posted. There is absolutely no exchange of ideas and desires toward improving the country to the people who vote for you.

Cubans vote on the candidate's platform - not the platform of any party. It's up to the candidates to make his/her expressions known to interested audiences.
Plus, there's the bi-annual accountability sessions, where candidates can be recalled - based on said candidate's actions and platforms in direct discussion with potential rival candidates.

Been there, seen it. I don't think that you understand that candidates have FULL access to the public spaces, halls, CDR meeting areas, and have right to full publication of their opinions, in order to expose their platform to any and all interested Cubans (and they are interested and participating to the tune of 95%).

Where on earth did you get the idea that they cannot campaign?
One can't hold a seat in the National Assembly without being elected and ratified.
The National candidacy commission does not select nor pick any candidates.



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I'm sure they'll burst into tears of relief getting the real picture, after spending their lives deluded!

That will teach them to disregard all the information they are exposed to at election time! Then they will know as much as any Republican.

Just muddling the waters and being dismissive and insulting.

I mean, who should I trust? My own lyin' eyes, or a RW privatization project from exilio Miami?
The disruptors and forum sliders are a waste of time, Judi.
The Cuba Transition Project calls for a L.Paul Bremer style of transition as the US did to Iraq.
How anyone can believe their bullshit (supported by the very RW foundations that support Heritage, AEI, IRI, NED, etc etc) is beyond me. I suspect that the contrarians here don't believe it, but seek to disrupt as if something is to be gained from such adamant and long term propagandizing. Hmmm.

Warmest regards to you, Judi.




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already, and know exactly what schemes it has within it for THEIR future!

As for the contraires, it's so sad seeing them going after it hammer and tongs, day after day.

[center][/center]
The years can just fly by, and times seems to stand still, and they never waver. So peculiar for people who are so dismally on the side of the assholes.

It's wonderful "seeing" you, Mika. Your insights are impeccable, as the rational people who've known you learned long, long ago. Your actual experience living, teaching in Cuba, your friends and relations there, going back a long time all qualify beyond ALL challengers. It's very strange when another one staggers forth from time to time to set the record straight!

We all can use a good laugh, or at least a broad grin, from time to time!

And I'm accused of propaganda for posting facts.

You say they can campaign but all evidence is to the contrary from what the Cuban bloggers have to say (oh no, evil USAID paid Yoani is corrupted by the CIA).

Nevermind acedemia agrees with me: http://ctp.iccas.miami.edu/Research_Studies/WLeoGrande.pdf

Obviously, you're not here to learn.

Bye bye

I think you are entrenched with Cuban elitist circles and are effectively blind to the process that the Cuban people have to undergo.

When free elections were allowed in the USSR the Soviets and indeed the "liberal left" were shocked, shocked I tell you, when the USSR Communist Party didn't get 100% of the vote! Shocked! Why golly gee, not allowing people to choose their candidates, and when they can, they don't choose the party!

'Tis not me posting material from the "irrelevant" exilio Miami.

Yes, I am "entrenched" in "elitist circles" of Cuban farmers, doctors, teachers, musicians, artists, child care workers, fishermen, cooks, waiters, etc. Those are the occupations of my family and close friends in Cuba, with whom I communicate frequently and have visited with recently. I'll choose my own lyin' eyes, and their year round experiences over your sophistry, distortions, projections, and outright lies.

Cheers.


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One could run for office on an anti-castro platform and walk around distributing literature and such? Did the current castro gain his office by campaigning?

At the bare minimum you would be disappeared for the night while they go over whether they can really charge you for it.

You can read the Cuban Penal code here: http://ruleoflawandcuba.fsu.edu/law-penal-code.cfm

Auto translate:



Want to have your own non-party sanctioned group?



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So, not only should the Ladies in White be arrested and jailed at this very moment, they risk one to three months of jail time every single time they protest! Every single time! The reason they aren't jailed for one to three months is the Cuban authorities know that there would be blow back if they did it.

Articles 72-90, 103, 115, 144, 207, 208, 209 are what you're looking for if you want to know how "free" the Cuban people are. The rapid arrests are not exaggerations by the Cuban dissidents. When it happens here in the United States (people arrested for protesting), it is rightly decried. When it happens in Cuba it is "necessary to maintain the revolution." Can't have people expressing themselves!

Articles 72-90 are in particular used to arrest anyone for anything whatsoever ("antisocial behavior" being quite broad and not well defined). It's one reason that Cuba has an incarceration rate rivaling that of the United States.

Eloy Gutierrez Menoyo has formed an anti Castro party in Cuba. Not arrested. Still up and running.

A question to ask ... why do the adversaries of Cuba continue to spew lies and propaganda here?
Remember, some of these very propagandists were saying on DU that the head of an anti Castro political party (Oswaldo Paya) was murdered by Castro's thugs.
There's a pattern of untrustworthy spamming, if one takes a look.


http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_nf=1&gs_mss=Eloy%20Gutirrez%20Menoyo&qe=RWxveSBHdXRpZXJyZXogTWVub3lv&qesig=c9yUJTzp7RNkdgYHIE5DaA&pkc=AFgZ2tmOQaWlETxJUnII6-3rJMAntEDqba7hfxMltWueHUE-KYtdnwf9GDEBA4iGA_rxIehJW5coaoChTPE4Ul5nLA23xF-Azg&cp=10&gs_id=d&xhr=t&q=Eloy%20Gutierrez%20Menoyo&pf=p&newwindow=1&safe=off&sclient=psy-ab&oq=Eloy+Gutierrez+Menoyo&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=b610fb1514df2529&biw=1433&bih=902

decided to stay in Cuba at the end of a visit he and his wife, daughter took there.

He's still there, all these years later, STILL running Cambio Cubano. Hasn't been hurled into the slammer, clearly.

The government has come down hard on him, threatening, trying to intimidate him into leaving Cuba: OUR government, as you mentioned.

Why they feel they have the right to threaten someone in another country is beyond me. Crazy, spooky, "unamerican".

I also recall the grim insistance that ol' scary Castro was behind the death of Oswaldo Paya. Yeah, he had been biding his time until he could catch the asshole speeding along a road, and a Castro commie murderer came booming along and pushed him off the road and kilt'im. Wow, so mean!

They can carry a grudge a long time, according to that brilliant bit of mental gymnastics.

Are you kidding me?!? All you're doing is deflecting. You don't disprove that people get arrested for not having the right opinions.

All you show is that they don't apply the law coherently or judiciously, they go after whoever they damn well please.

I posted the facts, the actual laws in question, which are implemented arbitrarily against anyone.

Why that guy is allowed to walk is anyones guess. Just as why the Ladies in White are allowed to walk. There's some deeply rooted cronyism there.