“We are here because of the heroism of this people and because of their conviction” 

The visits that are made to the base are to shake, to leave a mark, to look for solutions, and to achieve a systematicity that promotes results. This is a style of work that offers us a link with the people, and allows us to listen, to learn, but also to give arguments. "We are here because of the heroism of this people and their conviction."

Thus reflected the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, during the discussion of the Political Bureau's accountability report to the organization's 9th Plenary Session, one of the points of the first day of the meeting.

The leader proposed to maintain for next year the four fundamental work priorities on which the Party, the State, the Government, the Young Communist League (UJC) and the mass organizations concentrated their efforts in 2024:

The strengthening of unity.

The improvement of the political-ideological work.

The implementation of the projections to correct distortions and re-drive the economy.

Attention to the deviations and negative tendencies present in Cuban society today.

None of them is exhausted, they are comprehensive and it is necessary to give them continuity and update them, Díaz-Canel explained, especially taking into account that in 2025 the organization should be engaged in the preparation of its 9th Congress, to be held in 2026.

He referred to the fact that since March they have incorporated a system of indicators whose compliance is evaluated during the visits, in which they see places with positive examples, and other bad ones; and these create expectations and the people expect, after them, changes, that is why we have to give answers, generalize good experiences and address the problems with great sensitivity and using political, institutional and social communication.

What we see in the base ratifies us, he assured, that we are going to get out of this complex moment, "but fighting, because fights are won by shooting."

Regarding the improvement of the work of the Party and its internal life, the First Secretary assured that growth is what sustains continuity. Good processes of growth are necessary, with the members of the UJC, in the centers where we do not have political structure, in the non-state forms of the economy... in order to achieve, with exemplarity, a true vanguard work that allows the mobilization of all the people.

He also highlighted the figure of the political coordinator and his vital role in the community; and called to continue working to have all the good cadres that are needed, without ceasing to advance with those we have.

WITHOUT ARMS FOLDED

In his presentation of the accountability report to the Plenary, Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee, insisted on the firm conviction that the Party will never stand idly by in the face of the problems afflicting the country, and on the certainty that it is not only possible to win, but that it is the only alternative.

For this, he said, it is essential to have more organization, efficiency and sensitivity. In addition, he extended a recognition to the Cuban people, and a special distinction to the workers of the electric sector and the combatants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, for their self-sacrificing role during the adverse circumstances that the nation has experienced in the last few months.

On the occasion, it was stated that the difficult circumstances of the country have not changed, which continues to be subjected to a policy of maximum pressure by the U.S. Government, with the purpose of depriving the Island of foreign currency and fuel, the main resources for development, and that this would lead to a social outbreak.

In addition to the worsening of the energy problem and the total disconnection of the National Electric System (SEN) on three occasions, there was the impact of hurricanes Oscar and Rafael, and the earthquakes in the southeastern region, which have impacted the wellbeing of the population and slowed down economic recovery. Nevertheless, the Cuban State and Government have maintained the will to leave no one behind and to solve the damages in the shortest possible time.

In order to honor the call of the highest leadership of the Party to the permanent practice of rectification, and to face with will, effort and creativity the economic and social stumbling blocks, by the end of November, the work system and the visits preceded by groups of the auxiliary structure of the Central Committee had reached 101 municipalities and more than 200,000 people.

A milestone in the stage was the assurance of the process of accountability of the delegate to his constituents, with 77% of attendance of the people and 168,536 formulated proposals.

Regarding the senate situation, a national security issue, it was reported that the Political Bureau urged to act quickly to overcome the current situation, prioritize the maintenance program for thermoelectric plants, promote the use of renewable energy sources, prioritize the projects and investments underway, mainly in the installation of photovoltaic parks; as well as the use of biogas, biodigesters, gas generators, turbo condensers and bioelectric plants.

Along the same lines, he pointed out deficiencies in the functioning of the energy councils in municipalities and provinces, and the reserves to be exploited in savings, both in the residential sector and in study and work centers.

Another aspect discussed was the harvest and the actions to ensure it. It was ratified the imperative of appealing to the reserves that remain to be exploited, essentially in relation to the planting of sugarcane; and adopting measures to stop the decrease in sugarcane production, and to produce sugar, alcohol and its derivatives. It is also vital to develop variants for the coming campaign, taking into account the limited availability of fuel, and to increase the production of electricity from biomass.

Deputy Prime Minister Jorge Luis Tapia Fonseca assured that the harvest requires an extraordinary effort from all those involved. Before December 20, he reported, six mills will be milling, and the conditions are in place for the 15 planned mills to start milling this year. He added that saving the harvest depends on discipline and taking into account efficiency indicators.

IT IS STILL A STRUGGLE OF IDEAS

"The ideological work is as necessary and important as never before," opined Morales Ojeda in the debate after the reading of the report, in which it was recognized that the internal obstacles and weaknesses also cause many damages and slow down the progress; and that the population presents dissatisfactions associated to material shortages, high prices, insufficiencies in food, progressive loss of the purchasing value of the salary, the Health system, transportation, public procedures and housing problems; all this accentuated by the enemy propaganda.

Nevertheless, the study of the socio-political climate ratified the majority support to the Revolution, to its leaders and the pride of being Cubans; and the condition of the Commander-in-Chief and the Army General as referents.

The completion of the cadres gave rise to several interventions. Yoel Pérez García, first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the Party in Guantánamo, said that the policy of cadres is a task of the main cadres of each organization. The cadres come from the people, he stressed, and it is up to us to go and find them; in the work plans there must be concrete actions to attend to this process.

Liván Izquierdo Alonso, at the head of the organization in the capital, affirmed that where there is a consistent cadre, results are seen, and he asked to pay attention to the weaknesses in their selection and subsequent systematic evaluations.

The head of the Cadre Policy Department of the Central Committee, Humberto Camilo Hernández Suárez, addressed the certain conformism that exists in some places with the non-completion of the reserve; and reminded that a cadre must be an example of sacrifice, consecration and accompaniment to its people.

The Secretary of Organization said he was convinced that in the country there are women and men with more than enough competences, culture and commitment to be cadres, but they must be well selected and continue to redouble the vanguard role of the Party in all fronts and sectors of society.