Cuban Communists to consider term limits for leaders

Reuters ^ | Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:53pm EST | Rosa Tania Valdes

[Olog-hai]

HAVANA—Cuba's Communist Party will consider reforms this weekend that could impose term limits on its leaders in what would be a striking change on an island that Fidel Castro ruled for 49 years and was succeeded by his brother.

President Raul Castro said in an April Communist Party congress that this conference, which starts on Saturday and is the first in the party's history, would consider limiting Cuban leaders to two five-year terms.

The party has said it was also pondering age limits for high-ranking officials as it tries to bring younger people into its aging leadership. …

The party conference comes amid economic reforms that have given Cubans the right to open small businesses and to buy and sell cars, but have not yet included political changes.

The Communist Party is the only legal political party in Cuba and, under a national constitution in effect since 1976, the supreme guiding force of the society and the state. …

[Olog-hai]

Yeah, they "could" bring in term limits. But not any other political parties, of course. What a laugh. Why give up absolute power, eh?

[cunning_fish]

Even an orthodox comies are into more liberty while the land of the free is going opposite direction.

[OddLane]

He and other government officials are in a race against time to secure the gains of the revolution that put Fidel Castro in power in 1959.

Before Castro, the antique car and mortuary industries were in steep decline.

[cricket]

Tern limits? Thought they always had their own term limits, built in; at the end of a rope; a gun or sword; or somesuch. Certainly nothing stopping them. Witness, Khaddafy; Mubarak; Saddam; et al.

Guess they want a more orderly transition; but only when they are ready. And 'who' decides. Of course, even Putin had to move people around and 'out'; so as to accommodate himself in 'orderly' fashion per the 'new' Russia; which save for outward appearances; not much different than the old.

[Hugin]

Wgatm no more than two 30 year terms in any one office?

[EQAndyBuzz]

They are hedging in case they lose power.

Sort of like what the rats do in the US. 2 years of blaming Bush for Gitmo and all of a sudden Gitmo is ok, is only one example.

Speaking of, I would hammer every rat about that this election cycle.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

There day is done—its only a question of when. One year after Castro dies there will be a blood bath as the people slay their former Communist masters—Free elections by Newt’s Second term.