We have adopted important decisions that constitute in themselves a structural and conceptual change in the interest of preserving and developing our social system and making it sustainable in the future
• Speech given by General of the Army Raúl Castro Ruz, president of the Councils of State and Ministers, at the 5th Ordinary Session of the 7th Legislature of the National Assembly of People’s Power, at the International Conference Center, August 1, 2010, "Year 52 of the Revolution."

Dear compañeras and compañeros:

This session of the National Assembly has passed two significant bills: the bill to modify the current Administrative Political Division and the Road Safety Code.

The proposed changes the Administrative Political Division have been widely circulated in our press and discussed at length during the past months in the territories involved, as well as among Party, government and state bodies, which means that I do not to have to go into details, but merely underline that their principal aim is to raise attention to the population via a more functional and rational administrative and governmental organization. With this bill, we are also complying with agreements adopted by successive Party Congresses on the need to periodically review the Administrative Political Division in order to adjust it to existing conditions.

The new provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque will be born on January 1, 2011, without repeating the errors that have accompanied the work of the local bodies of People’s Power, with the concept of savings and the rational use of all resources, particularly in terms of appropriate numbers of personnel and a clear delimitation of their faculties in interrelations with agencies of central state administration, national enterprises and political and mass organizations.

For its part, the Road Safety Code, which we postponed passing in the previous session in order to go more deeply into its content, to reconcile discrepancies existing at that time, and to move forward on drafting complementary regulations, constitutes a contribution to the raising of social discipline and the preservation of human life, as well as a reduction in substantial economic losses.

Moving on to other matters, I am not at remove from the expectations logically generated by the speeches on July 26 and in Parliament. Some people were surprised that the main speech in Santa Clara was given by compañero Machado Ventura, a magnificent speech of course.

It is true that, since the triumph of the Revolution, this task has always corresponded to compañero Fidel and, on a few occasions, to me, but the important thing is not the orator but the content of that speech, which expressed the collegial opinion of the Party and state leadership on the most relevant matters of national affairs.

During the days prior to and after the 26th of July event, several news agencies and self-titled "analysts" on the subject of Cuba wrote countless news reports and articles in which, distorting our reality, they stridently anticipated the announcement of supposed reforms to our economic and social system and the application of capitalist formulas to channel the economy; some even dared to describe the existence of a struggle between tendencies in the leadership of the Revolution, and all of them agreed on demanding from us more rapid and profound changes along the lines of dismantling socialism.

Objectively observing these press campaigns, it was evident that almost all the agencies are guided by the same thread. I am not referring to the journalists, who are obliged to subject themselves to the editorial line drawn up for and demanded of them by the media consortiums in relation to Cuba, although they sometimes use the same phrases and prefabricated descriptions. On more than a few occasions, completely identical paragraphs have appeared, regardless of which region of the world they come from.

With the accumulated experience of more than 55 years of revolutionary struggle, it would seem that we’re not doing too badly, and neither desperation nor frustration are our bedfellows.

As compañero Machado confirmed last July 26, and I quote: We shall proceed with a sense of responsibility, step by step, at the rate that we ourselves decide, without improvisations or haste, in order not to err and so as to definitively leave behind errors or measures that are not appropriate in current conditions." (End of quote)

Unity among revolutionaries and among the leadership of the Revolution and the majority of our people is our most important strategic weapon, the one that has made it possible for us to reach this point and continue perfecting our socialism in the future.

Although it pains our enemies, our unity is more solid today than ever before; it is not the fruit of false unanimity or opportunistic simulation. Unity does not exclude honest discrepancies, but presupposes the discussion of different ideas, but with the same final objectives of social justice and national sovereignty, which will allow us to always reach the best decisions.

Unity is fomented and reaped in the broadest socialist democracy and in open discussion of all matters, however sensitive they may be, with the people.

Talking of sensitive issues, I must inform you that after months of study within the framework of updating the Cuban economic model, during its most recent meeting – July 16-17 – the Council of Ministers, with the participation of the vice presidents of the Council of State, other members of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the Central Committee, the first secretaries of the provincial committees of the Party and the presidents of the Provincial Administration Councils, as well as central cadres from the CTC, other mass organizations and the UJC, plus high-ranking officials from other agencies, agreed on a package of measures to undertake, in stages, the reduction of inflated rosters in the state sector.

The success of this process will depend to a large extent on the political assurance that we must undertake, under the direction of the Party and with the active participation of the Central Organization of Cuban Workers and the trade union organizations. It is necessary to create a climate of transparency and dialogue, in which opportune and clear information to the workers is paramount, in which decisions are appropriately channeled and the necessary organizational conditions created.

Strict observance to the principle of suitability demonstrated at the moment of determining who best merits the right to occupy a post, should contribute to preventing any manifestation of favoritism, as well as discrimination based on gender or other kinds, which must be confronted with total determination.

The Council of Ministers also agreed to extend the exercise of self-employment and its utilization as another job alternative for surplus workers, by eliminating various existing prohibitions on the granting of new licenses and the marketing of certain products, thus making labor contracts more flexible.

At the same time, the abovementioned meeting of July 16-17 approved the implementation of a taxation system for the self-employed sector that responds to the new economic scenario and also guarantees that workers incorporated into this activity will make their social security contributions, pay tax on their personal income and sales; and that those hiring staff will pay taxes for utilizing a workforce.

The National Council of the Cuban Central Workers Organization is scheduled to meet soon and at that meeting we will have detailed discussions with the principal labor leaders on these important decisions, which constitute a structural and conceptual change in the interest of preserving and developing our social system and making it sustainable in the future, that we fulfill the mandate of the people of Cuba, as is established in the Constitution of the Republic, that the socialist nature and the political and social system contained in it are irrevocable. (Applause)

In the materialization of these measures, we are fully convinced that we can count on the decisive support of the working class which, together with the campesino movement and other sectors of society, understands that without higher efficiency and productivity it is impossible to raise wages, increase exports and replace imports, to grow in terms of food production and, definitively, sustain the enormous social costs that are essentially part of our socialist system, a sphere in which we are also bound to be rational, saving much more without sacrificing quality.

On the other hand, I think that everyone is aware of the highly significant contribution to improving social and labor discipline which would emanate from the implementation of these measures.

On adopting these agreements, we do so on the basis that nobody will be left to their own fate and that, via the social security system, the socialist state will give the support needed to live a life of dignity to those people who are genuinely not in a position to work and who are the sole means of support for their families. We have to erase for ever the notion that Cuba is the only country in the world in which people can live without working.

We have similarly advanced on the studies being undertaken by the Political-Economic Commission of the 6th [Communist] Party Congress and the various working groups created to draft proposals – to be previously discussed with members of the Party and the population as a whole – which are functioning without interruption.

In the midst of the adverse international economic situation and its inevitable negative influence on our country, estimates for the first semester show encouraging results in the national economy, despite the failure to meet the sugar target and those of other agricultural products due to leadership errors and also to the effects of the drought.

The arrival of foreign visitors is increasing, the oil production target is being met; internal monetary equilibrium is being maintained and is even improving; labor productivity reflects a rate above that of the average wage, an objective that has not been attained for a number of years; exports are modestly rising and energy consumption levels are falling, on the basis of the reorganization of transportation and the effect of other savings measures.

Electricity consumption is reflecting positive results in the state sector, as opposed to the residential sector, where it is growing at more than the rate anticipated.

Exactly one year ago, I referred to the external financial restrictions that we were confronting due to the accumulation of payment commitments and the need to undertake debt renegotiations. I can inform you today that, thanks to the confidence and understanding of the majority of our creditors, we have made certain advances in deferring our obligations, which we have the firmest commitment to honor within the new time periods agreed. At the same time, the retention of accumulated overseas transfers to suppliers of that time are now barely one third of the amount of one year ago and, as a display of security in the country, overseas deposits in Cuban banks have increased.

I must make reference to another current issue. By our sovereign decision and in strict adherence to our laws, in the last few days we have completed the release and departure from the country of the initial 21 counterrevolutionary prisoners of the 53 sentenced in 2003 for crimes against the security of the state.

Prior to that, and since 2004, another 22 prisoners sentenced in the same trial were granted release on license.

It is appropriate to note here that not one of those citizens was sentenced for their ideas, as brutal campaigns directed at discrediting Cuba in various regions of the world would have people believe.

As was irrefutably proven in the court hearing, all of them had committed crimes defined and punishable in our legislation, by acting in the service of the government of the United States and its policy of blockade and subversion.

It should not be forgotten that at that time – 2003 – the then president, George W. Bush, intoxicated with the apparent victories in the wars against Iraq and Afghanistan, was proclaiming "regime change" in Cuba and directly threatening our national security, to the point of publicly appointing a proconsul for the country after its occupation, as they had just done in Iraq. As a consequence of that, dozens of destabilization plots, hijackings of aircraft and vessels were hatched, which we had to confront with total firmness, on the basis of strict respect for laws.

The Revolution can be generous because it is strong; its strength lies in the majority support of the people, who have resisted so many years of aggressions and sacrifice, but for that reason it is worth reiterating that there will be no impunity for the enemies of the homeland, for those who attempt to endanger our independence. (Applause)

Let nobody be deceived. The defense of our sacred achievements, of our streets and plazas, will continue being the prime duty of revolutionaries whom we cannot deprive of that right. (Prolonged applause)

Off the record, we could comment that the poor proconsul appointed by George W. Bush remained jobless. (Laughter)

In terms of Cuba and the United States, in essence, nothing has changed; our valiant five heroes are still enduring unjust incarceration and abusive treatment, such as the cruelty currently being meted out to compañero Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, which has been condemned by this Assembly. Although there is less rhetoric and occasional bilateral talks have taken place on specific and limited issues, in real terms, the blockade is still being implemented and we shall continue acting with the serenity and patience that we have learned during more than half a century.

For us, Cuban revolutionaries, difficulties do not deprive us of sleep, our only way forward is to keep up the fight with optimism and an unyielding faith in victory.

Thank you very much (Ovation)