Communist Party of Cuba in the context of "Marxist–Leninist"

Marxism–Leninism (Russian: марксизм-ленинизм, romanized: marksizm-leninizm) is a communist ideology that became the largest faction of the communist movement in the world in the years following the October Revolution. It was the predominant ideology of most communist governments throughout the 20th century. It was developed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics by Joseph Stalin and drew on elements of Bolshevism, Leninism, and Marxism. It was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, Soviet satellite states in the Eastern Bloc, and various countries in the Non-Aligned Movement and Third World during the Cold War, as well as the Communist International after Bolshevization.

Today, Marxism–Leninism is the de jure ideology of the ruling parties of China, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as many other communist parties. The state ideology of North Korea is derived from Marxism–Leninism, although its evolution is disputed.

Cuba has a developing planned economy dominated by state-run enterprises. The Communist Party of Cuba maintains high levels of public sector control and exerts significant influence over the Cuban economy. The island has a low cost of living, inexpensive public transport, as well as subsidized education, healthcare, and food. Cuba's economic growth has historically been weak due to high labour emigration, import dependency, an ongoing energy crisis, foreign trade sanctions, and limited tourism in Cuba. The dual economy of Cuba has led to a series of financial crises. Cuba is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with high inflation, collective poverty, and food shortages. It is heavily indebted due to its large public sector and high deficit spending, with a global sovereign debt burden.

In the 19th century, Cuba was one of the most prosperous pre-industrial Latin American countries with the export of tobacco, sugar, and coffee. At the Cuban Revolution of 1953–1959, during the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, Cuba was on a growth trajectory within Latin America. During the Cold War, the Cuban economy was heavily subsidized – 10% to 40% of Cuban GDP in various years – by the Eastern Bloc, due to their geopolitical alignment with the Soviet Union. Cuba endured severe economic downturn when the Soviet Union collapsed, with GDP declining 33% between 1990 and 1993. A protracted economic malaise known as the Special Period overcame Cuba from 1991 to 2001. The Cuban economy rebounded in 2003 with marginal liberalization and foreign support from Venezuela, China, and Russia. The United States has maintained an economic embargo against Cuba since 1960 due to geopolitical tensions. Cuba has free-trade agreements with many world nations.

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 2008. Ideologically a Marxist–Leninist and Cuban nationalist, he also served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 until 2011. Under his administration, Cuba became a one-party communist state; industry and business were nationalized, and socialist reforms were implemented throughout society.

Born in Birán, the son of a wealthy Spanish farmer, Castro adopted leftist and anti-imperialist ideas while studying law at the University of Havana. After participating in rebellions against right-wing governments in the Dominican Republic and Colombia, he planned the overthrow of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, launching a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953. After a year's imprisonment, Castro travelled to Mexico where he formed a revolutionary group, the 26th of July Movement, with his brother, Raúl Castro, and Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Returning to Cuba, Castro took a key role in the Cuban Revolution by leading the Movement in a guerrilla war against Batista's forces from the Sierra Maestra. After Batista's overthrow in 1959, Castro assumed military and political power as Cuba's prime minister. The United States came to oppose Castro's government and unsuccessfully attempted to remove him by assassination, economic embargo, and counter-revolution, including the Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961. Countering these threats, Castro aligned with the Soviet Union and allowed the Soviets to place nuclear weapons in Cuba, resulting in the Cuban Missile Crisis—a defining incident of the Cold War—in 1962.

Havana (/həˈvænə/, US also /həˈvɑːnə/; Spanish: La Habana [la‿aˈβana] ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. It is the most populous city, the largest by area, and the second largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean region. The population in 2021 was 2,142,939 inhabitants, and its area is 728.26 km (281.18 sq mi) for the capital city side and 8,475.57 km for the metropolitan zone. Its official population was 1,749,964 inhabitants in 2024.

Havana was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century. It served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, becoming a stopping point for Spanish galleons returning to Spain. King Philip III of Spain granted Havana the title of capital in 1607. Walls and forts were built to protect the city. The city is the seat of the Cuban government and various ministries, and headquarters of businesses and over 100 diplomatic offices. The governor is Reinaldo García Zapata of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). In 2009, the city/province had the third-highest income in the country.

Marxism–Leninism (Russian: марксизм-ленинизм, romanized: marksizm-leninizm) is a communist ideology that became the largest faction of the communist movement in the world in the years following the October Revolution. It was the predominant ideology of most communist governments throughout the 20th century. It was developed in the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin and drew on elements of Bolshevism, Leninism, and Marxism. It was the state ideology of the Soviet Union, Soviet satellite states in the Eastern Bloc, and various countries in the Non-Aligned Movement and Third World during the Cold War, as well as the Communist International after Bolshevization.

Today, Marxism–Leninism is the de jure ideology of the ruling parties of China, Cuba, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as many other communist parties. The state ideology of North Korea is derived from Marxism–Leninism, although its evolution is disputed.

The prime minister of Cuba (Spanish: primer ministro de Cuba) is the head of government of Cuba and the chair of the Council of Ministers (cabinet). The prime minister is the third-highest office in Cuba, after the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and the president of Cuba, and the second-highest state office. The position was officially known as the president of the Council of Ministers (Spanish: presidente del Consejo de Ministros) between 1976 and 2019.

The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba is the top leader of Cuba. The first secretary is the highest office within the Communist Party of Cuba, which makes the officeholder the most powerful person in the Cuban party-state. In communist states the first or general secretary of a ruling communist party is typically the de facto leader of the country and a more powerful position than state offices such as President (head of state) or Prime Minister (head of government), when different individuals hold those positions.

The officeholder of the post of first secretary presides over the work of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), which is designated as "the organised vanguard of the Cuban nation" and as "the superior driving force of society and the State" by Article 5 of Cuba's constitution. The PCC Central Committee, the Party's highest political-executive organ between convocations of the party congress, has the right to elect and dismiss the first secretary at one of its sessions. The first secretary is responsible for leading the work of the Secretariat, the Party's highest executive organ, and chairing the sessions of the Politburo, the Party's highest political organ. The current first secretary is Miguel Díaz-Canel, elected by the 1st Session of the 8th Central Committee on 19 April 2021, and he concurrently serves as president of Cuba.