Castro defends communist system during rare national congress in Cuba

Castro defends communist system during rare national congress in Cuba

The Cuban leader has said his country will not go off course simply
because of renewed ties with the United States. He also warned Cubans to
be "alert" to the influence of their neighbors to the north.

In a rare twice-a-decade national congress on Saturday, President Raul
Castro railed against neoliberalism and warned Cubans of the potential
dangers of the country moving too close to the US, even as Havana
pursues warmer relations with Washington.
"We must be alert, today more than ever," Castro said, according to the
Reuters news agency.

The president, the brother of former revolutionary and Cuban leader
Fidel Castro, said his government wouldn't resort to so-called
neoliberal "shock therapy" and reiterated his commitment to the
socialist cause.
Castro also didn't relent when it came to his portrayal of the US's
intentions, insisting that President Barack Obama's efforts to end
sanctions against Cuba were simply a change in method - and that the US
still posed a threat to the island nation.
The leader did acknowledge some of the failures of his government over
the past decade, noting for example that economic reforms should be
implemented faster.
blc/cmk (AFP, Reuters)

Source: Castro defends communist system during rare national congress in
Cuba | News | DW.COM | 17.04.2016 -
http://www.dw.com/en/castro-defends-communist-system-during-rare-national-congress-in-cuba/a-19193559