The Government of Cuba - The World Countries

Cuba - Government

Based on the etymolgy of Cuba, it was name derives from the Taino Indian designation for the island "coabana" meaning "great place". The Government system in this country is the communist state type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 15 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana (Havana), Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

National symbols

Royal palm; national colors: red, white, blue.

The flag

The National flag of Cuba has five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; the blue bands refer to the three old divisions of the island: central, occidental, and oriental; the white bands describe the purity of the independence ideal; the triangle symbolizes liberty, equality, and fraternity, while the red color stands for the blood shed in the independence struggle; the white star, called La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star) lights the way to freedom and was taken from the flag of Texas.

note: design similar to the Puerto Rican flag, with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

The National Anthem

Title	"La Bayamesa" (The Bayamo Song)
Lyric/music	Pedro FIGUEREDO

note: adopted 1940; Pedro FIGUEREDO first performed "La Bayamesa" in 1868 during the Ten Years War against the Spanish; a leading figure in the uprising, FIGUEREDO was captured in 1870 and executed by a firing squad; just prior to the fusillade he is reputed to have shouted, "Morir por la Patria es vivir" (To die for the country is to live), a line from the anthem

More about the government of Cuba

Constitution
Date of Independence	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
National holiday	Triumph of the Revolution (Liberation Day), 1 January (1959)
Legal system	civil law system based on Spanish civil code
International law organization participation	has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
History	Several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019
Amendments	Proposed by the National Assembly of People’s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth	yes
Citizenship by descent only	yes
Dual citizenship recognized	no
Residency requirement for naturalization	unknown
Executive Branch
Chief of state	President Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (since 19 April 2018)
Head of government	Prime Minister Manuel MARRERO Cruz (since 21 December 2019)
Cabinet	Council of Ministers proposed by the president and appointed by the National Assembly
Elections/appointments	president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 April 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
Election results	2023: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 97.7%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) reelected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 93.4% 2018: Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez (PCC) elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.8%; Salvador Antonio VALDES Mesa (PCC) elected vice president; percent of National Assembly vote - 98.1%
Legislative branch
Description	Unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (474 seats; (470 seats filled in 2023); members directly elected by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note 1 - the National Candidature Commission submits a slate of approved candidates; to be elected, candidates must receive more than 50% of valid votes otherwise the seat remains vacant or the Council of State can declare another election
Elections	Last held on 26 March 2023 (next to be held in early 2028)
Election results	Cuba's Communist Party is the only legal party, and officially sanctioned candidates run unopposed; composition- men 208, women 262, percent of women 55.7%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s)	People's Supreme Court (consists of court president, vice president, 41 professional justices, and NA lay judges); organization includes the State Council, criminal, civil, administrative, labor, crimes against the state, and military courts)
Judge selection and term of office	Professional judges elected by the National Assembly are not subject to a specific term; lay judges nominated by workplace collectives and neighborhood associations and elected by municipal or provincial assemblies; lay judges appointed for 5-year terms and serve up to 30 days per year
Subordinate courts	People's Provincial Courts; People's Regional Courts; People's Courts
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission	Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Lianys TORRES RIVERA (since 14 January 2021)
Chancery	2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Telephone	[1] (202) 797-8515
FAX	[1] (202) 797-8521
Email address and website	[email protected] https://misiones.cubaminrex.cu/en/usa/embassy-cuba-usa
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission	Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Benjamin G. ZIFF (since 14 July 2022)
Embassy	Calzada between L & M Streets, Vedado, Havana
Mailing address	3200 Havana Place, Washington DC 20521-3200
Telephone	[53] (7) 839-4100
FAX	[53] (7) 839-4247
Email address and website	[email protected] https://cu.usembassy.gov/
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites	9 (7 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales	Old Havana (c); Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (c); San Pedro de la Roca Castle (c); Desembarco del Granma National Park (n); Viñales Valley (c); Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations (c); Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (n); Historic Cienfuegos (c); Historic Camagüey (c)