ABSTRACT
Cuba is the only Latin American nation that has adopted Marxism-Leninism as its official ideology and has declared itself to be a proletarian dictatorship led by the Communist party. In the early years of the revolution, Cuba was ruled by the charismatic authority of Fidel Castro, his loyal inner circle, and the revolutionary armed forces. The Cuban Communist party (PCC) is highly centralized and rigidly hierarchical in accordance with orthodox Leninism. The PCC's power has grown strikingly in the course of the nation's institutionalization process, although Castro remains the regime's unquestioned leader and the military retains influence. In addition to becoming the key locus of Cuban decision-making, the PCC has also demonstrated its ability to mobilize political participation in the mass organizations and in the electoral process. According to the PCC the purpose of the elections is not to reflect Cuban public opinion but, rather, to identify the best revolutionaries.
