The Cuban government is a communist state led by General Raul Castro since 2008 when his brother Fidel Castro stepped down due to illness. The government severely restricts freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Prison conditions are harsh, with physical abuse and denial of medical care common, especially for political prisoners. The Cuban Family Code establishes marriage as based on equal rights and duties between spouses to share a home, be faithful, help and respect each other, and cooperate in caring for children. Both spouses must contribute economically according to their abilities while one may focus on home and childcare.

1. Cuban Government

2. Quick Notes: Type: Communist state; current government assumed power by force January 1, 1959. Independence: May 20, 1902. Political party: Cuban Communist Party (PCC); only one party allowed. Administrative subdivisions:14 provinces, including the city of Havana, and one special municipality (Isle of Youth).

3. Facts: Cuba is a communist country headed by General Raul Castro and a cadre of party loyalists. General Raul Castro replaced his brother, Fidel Castro, when Fidel got too sick to lead the country. Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution and led Cuba until February, 2008. The government places severe limitations on freedom of speech and press. Freedom of assembly is not constitutionally guaranteed in Cuba. The law punishes unauthorized assembly of more than three persons. Prison conditions are harsh and life-threatening. Although physical torture is rare, cruel treatment of prisoners--particularly political prisoners--is common. Prison authorities frequently beat, neglect, isolate, and deny medical treatment to inmates. Authorities often deny family visits, adequate nutrition, exposure to sunshine, and pay for work.

4. Excerpts from the Cuban Family Code: 24. Marriage is constituted on the basis of equal rights and duties of both partners. 25. The spouses must share the same home, be faithful to one another, help, consider and respect each other. The rights and duties established by this code will subsist in their entirety as long as the marriage has not been legally terminated, in spite of the fact that for justifiable reasons a common household cannot be maintained. 26. Both spouses are obligated to care for the family they have created and cooperate with each other in the education, formation and guidance of their children in line with the principles of socialist morality. As well, each to the extent of his or her capabilities and possibilities must participate in governing the home and cooperate toward its best possible care.

5. Excerpts from the Cuban Family Code (Cont.) : 27. The spouses are obligated to contribute toward satisfying the needs of faculties and economic capacities. Nevertheless, if one of the spouses contributes only through his or her work in the home and child-care, the other spouse must provide full economic support without this meaning that he or she be relieved of the obligations of cooperating with the housework and child-care. 28. Both spouses have the right to exercise their professions or crafts and must lend each other reciprocal cooperation and aid to this effect, as well as in order to carry out studies or perfect their training, but in all cases they will take care to organize their home life so that such activities be coordinated with fulfillment of the obligations imposed by this code.”