Some 8.4m Cubans sent the international community “an unequivocal message of their confidence in Cuba's political system" by turning out to vote in municipal elections on 25 April, the national electoral commission concluded. The official Communist party mouthpiece Granma exhorted Cubans for days in advance to turn out to cast their ballots in what are the country's only direct elections by secret ballot, albeit only one party was entitled to compete and candidates had to be nominated in neighbourhood meetings in their respective constituencies by raised hand, thus ensuring a tight control over the process. There will be a second round on 2 May for those candidates who failed to win 50% of the vote.
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