Raul Castro, 76, has been unanimously elected the new president of Cuba, following his older brother Fidel’s resignation last week. Raul Castro is expected to continue upholding his brother’s socialist policies, though he will face challenges of repairing an economy that has resulted in imbalances between state salaries and living costs, food shortages, and a deteriorated infrastructure, among others problems. Tom Shannon, a US diplomat for Latin America, stated there is a “possibility” for change in Cuba with the new presidency, though US still refuses to lift its 45-year-old embargo on the island. Both lawmakers in the House of Representatives and business leaders having been calling for a change in US trade policy towards Cuba.

The Independent

AFP