The Castro family, which had been in power in Cuba for over fifty years, ended their time in the political limelight when Raul Castro announced he would be stepping down as president of the country on April 19. Miguel Diaz-Canel, Castro’s vice-president, has been named the successor. Castro has, however, stated that he will remain head of the armed forces and the head of the Communist Party.

Raul Castro became president when his brother, Fidel Castro, became terminally ill. While Raul Castro was meant to have a short-presidential role, it became seemingly permanent when his brother died in 2016, leaving Raul Castro in power.

“While I would have hoped things would change in the way Cuba is being governed because of this new president rising to power, knowing that Castro is still heavily involved in the government clears all doubts in my mind,” junior Alain Perez said

Amidst questions concerning whether new president Diaz-Canel will lead the Cuban people into a new era of government, he quickly assured the people he would not be making any changes to the way Cuba is being currently governed. Analysts have stated that Diaz-Canel is a “party ideologue” and “pragmatist.”

“My heritage is part Cuban, and while I visit from time to time, I hope that in the future I can visit more often. With this current situation, however, I doubt I will be able to,” sophomore Laura Garcia-Ortiz.

Gables High offers a diverse student body, with a very present Cuban community. As a student body, we can all join with the Cuban community at Gables in hoping that the shift in political power does not cause harm to those living in the country.

As of now, no new information has been released, but analysts speculate Cuba will continue to function as before even as the Castro’s reign in Cuba comes to a close.

[powr-social-feed id=bbdd1ce3_1525022739850]