Raúl Castro to step down, marking end of era in Cuba

Raúl Castro announced Friday he will resign as head of Cuba’s Communist Party, giving up the island’s most powerful post amid a crushing economic crisis.

His departure means there will be no one with the surname Castro at the helm of of the island’s government for the first time in more than six decades.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’ve concluded my task as first secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee,” Castro said in remarks at the party’s congress.

Delegates gathered at Havana’s Convention Palace for an opening ceremony before launching into discussions about Cuba’s Soviet-style economy and reforms adopted in the 2011 party congress that have still not been entirely implemented. Images shared on the party’s website showed Castro walking into the convention center’s main auditorium wearing a face mask and his customary olive green uniform to a standing ovation.

The gathering is billed as a “Congress of Continuity” in which there will be a “gradual and orderly transition” of responsibilities to “new generations,” per the official invite. Castro stated at the last congress five years ago that he would step down as first secretary general in 2021. The top party job is considered a more powerful post than president.

The changing of the guard could complete a generational transitional that has been in the works for years to bring younger voices to the podium. Díaz-Canel, 60, is widely expected to step in as party chief.

The party is under increasing pressure to come up with solutions to improve life on the island as Cubans grow frustrated of waiting in hours-long lines for increasingly scarce goods. But few expect a major shakeup even with a transfer of leadership.

“They may address the crisis, they probably will recognize some of the issues, but the congress is not a space for discussion,” said Pedro Freyre, a Cuban American attorney with Akerman LLP who advises companies doing business in the island.

“Don’t expect any significant debate.”

The gathering comes as Cuba grapples with a deepening economic crisis, spurred in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has paralyzed tourism, as well as Trump administration sanctions. A painful currency reform earlier this year has fueled inflation, leading some prices to rise as much as 500%. Meanwhile, more Cubans have access to social media, where complaints are rife and an emerging civil society is sharing its message and demanding reform.