Cuba arranges State Council election
Campaign News | Monday, 4 February 2008
Cuban electoral authorities continue Monday arrangements to elect on February 24 the Council of State, which is the island's top state representation.
The recently elected 614 delegates for the National Assembly of the Peoples' Power will elect 31 members to the Council of State, led by Fidel Castro since its creation in 1976.
Alberto Marchante, member of the National Candidatures Commission, said recently that the country will present aspirants to those posts after an extensive process of consultations with legislators, as they did with provincial delegates.
"We must present on February 24 proposals for president, vice president and secretary of the Parliament, as well as for president, first vice president, five vice presidents, secretary and other members of the State Council," Marchante stated.
According to the Republic's Constitution, that body has among its functions to grant decorations and honorary titles, appoint commissions, concede pardons and denounce international treaties.
Also on the list is to appoint and dismiss Cuban diplomatic representatives in other States and grant or deny the approval to diplomatic representatives from other countries.
According to sources from the National Electoral Commission, the January 20 general elections had 96.89 percent of voters.
Media published today photos and names of presidents and vice presidents for the 14 Provincial Assemblies of the Peoples' Power, created on February 2.
General elections were called in July by the Council of State and the first phase closed in October with the election of 15,236 delegates for the 169 municipal assemblies of the Peoples' Power.
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