Communists forever
The week's news at a glance.
Havana, Cuba
Fidel Castro gave millions of Cuban workers two days off to watch on TV as the National Assembly made the socialist system “untouchable.” The lawmakers gathered to amend the constitution and protect the system from change. The government said 8 million people—99 percent of all voters—signed petitions supporting the plan. Dissidents said Castro was countering their own drive, known as the Varela Project. Eleven thousand people signed that petition, demanding a referendum to let voters decide whether to make Cuba more democratic. Former president Jimmy Carter touted the movement during his May visit to Cuba, and President Bush promised to ease economic sanctions if the Caribbean nation embraced reform.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Crossword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff