Constitution: 24 February 1976
Legal system: based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist legal theory; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 16 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President of the Council of
State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz
(prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when
office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976) and First
Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of
the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December
1976) were elected by the National Assembly
cabinet: Council of Ministers were proposed by the president of the
Council of State, appointed by the National Assembly
Council of State: members elected by the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly of People's Power (Asemblea Nacional del P: elections last held NA February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); seats - 589 total, elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions
Judicial branch: People's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo
Popular), president, vice president, and other judges are elected by
the National Assembly
Political parties and leaders: only party - Cuban Communist Party
(PCC), Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary
International organization participation: CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: none; note - Cuba has an
Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer
Fernando REMIREZ DE ESTENOZ; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss
Embassy, 2639 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1]
(202) 797-8518 through 8520
US diplomatic representation: none; note - the US does have an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Joseph G. SULLIVAN; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada Entre L Y M, Vedado Seccion, Havana; telephone: 33-3551 through 3559, 33-3543 through 3547 (operator assistance required); FAX: 33-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland