For the first time in sixty years, the Cuban government will be headed by a person outside the Castro family. On April 18, the National Assembly selected Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez, who is the First Vice President, as the sole candidate to succeed President Raul Castro.
Diaz-Canel is often described as a hard-working, modest-living technocrat dedicated to improving public services. He became higher education minister in 2009 before moving into the vice presidency.
Leaders were selected by a government-appointed commission. There are only two options in the ballots – approval or disapproval – and candidates generally receive more than 95 percent of the votes in their favor.
Diaz-Canel’s nomination is seen as Castro’s way of ensuring continuity in the way the country is run.