More than 8.3 million Cubans may vote in this Sunday’s elections

By María Julia Mayoral

MORE than 8.3 million Cubans may vote in this Sunday’s elections, with the assurance that election authorities have created the optimal conditions to facilitate that important exercise of socialist democracy and revolutionary reaffirmation.

María Esther Reus, president of the National Electoral Commission, affirmed on the Thursday evening “Roundtable” radio/TV program that in the five eastern provinces and Camagüey, which were hit hard by heavy rainstorms and flooding in recent days, diverse solutions have been found to ensure that elections take place. For example, voting stations have been relocated and cell phones provided in those areas that were left otherwise incommunicado.

The “dynamic tests” or trial runs were successful, enabling authorities to detect and correct problems, the minister of justice reported. The country is ready for the October 21 elections, in which voters will cast their ballots at 37,749 polls.

Registered voters include more than 300,000 young people who will be voting for the first time. Patricia Flechilla, national president of the Federation of Secondary School Students, said it was an opportunity for the new generations to show their support for the Revolution, against enemies such as the U.S. government, which are intent on making false, baseless accusations against Cuba.

Translated by Granma International