Cuba’s parliament ratifies President Díaz-Canel for new term

By ANDREA RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s National Assembly has ratified President Miguel Díaz-Canel for a new five-year term, in a decision to maintain continuity as the island faces a deep economic crisis. More than 400 representatives to the assembly who were ratified by voters in March took office early Wednesday and then convened the chamber to elect the government’s leadership and the president. In his new term, Díaz-Canel must deal with soaring inflation and national shortages in food, medicine and energy as Cuba faces continued tough U.S. sanctions. He also presides over a period of discontent among many Cubans expressed in part through record rates of emigration to the U.S. and elsewhere.