“Today is an important day for Cuba, as for the first time in sixty years, Cuba’s leader will not be a Castro nor will he have fought in the Cuban Revolution in the fifties.

“The selection of Diaz Canel however is no surprise, and the fact that he was the sole candidate selected and presented to the assembly shows that little is changing in Cuba. Cuban people themselves do not have much expectations that major changes are on the way, some even compare him to Oswaldo Dorticos, president of Cuba between 1959 and 1976, who has been referred to as a “puppet president”, while Fidel Castro was behind every decision taken at that time.

“Of course no one can predict the future, and only time will tell what Diaz Canel will do once in government.”

Dr Stephanie Panichelli-Batalla, Assistant Professor, Global Sustainable Development, University of Warwick

For further details contact

Nicola Jones, Media Relations Manager, University of Warwick, 07920531221 or N.Jones.1@warwick.ac.uk