Presided by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz and José Ramón Machado Ventura, first and second secretaries of the Central Committee of the Party, respectively, besides Political Bureau members Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the Republic, and Esteban Lazo Hernández, President of the National Assembly of People's Power, the third day of Congress sessions took place today.

Havana, Cuba.- The event was opened with the words of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz, during the Party's review assembly in Havana, on November 23, 1996. "If our land did not have sufficient honor and glory, conquered over such a long time, the honor and glory of having fought and remain undefeated... against an all-powerful empire, would be enough."

The day's agenda continued with the presentation by delegate José Amado Ricardo Guerra, Central Committee member and Council of Minister's secretary, of the draft Resolution on the Central Report to the 8th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba, presented by First Secretary Army General Raúl Castro Ruz.

According to the text, which was approved during the meeting, the Report constitutes "an expression of the legacy of the historic generation and a guide for the future work of the Party and other actors in society."

Also, he added, the Report evaluates, with objectivity, fairness, clarity, and critical sense, the work done by our Party and people over the past five years, in the face of challenges and difficulties arising from the international situation, as well as the very deficiencies of our own efforts, bureaucracy, inertia, and resistance to change, as well as the lack of resolve, high expectations, and control in the face of negative phenomena. (Granma)