Preparations for general elections in Cuba on January 20 have intensified, as community candidates have been presented and the staff who will work in the polling stations is receiving training.

All 1,815 candidates for Parliament and the 14 People's Power Provincial Assemblies are participating in meetings with neighbors from the municipalities or district where they will be voted and at local work places and schools.

In addition, their photos and biographies are on display in public places and have been publicized on local media.

More than 200,000 citizens who will assist directly in the elections, including election authorities from national to local levels, are receiving training to guarantee the success of the elections.

Meanwhile, election authorities announced the opening of 600 polling stations more than in October's elections, when more than 15,000 delegates (council people) to the People's Power Municipal Assemblies were elected.

People who cannot vote in their area of residence due to exceptional reasons will vote in those polling stations, although they will have to be authorized by the National Election Commission.

Authorities are also working to guarantee communications and to review the Electoral Register, which includes all citizens over 16 years of age who are not disqualified judicially to vote.

According to statistics, 50 percent of candidates are already members of 169 municipal governments, after being elected by 96.49 percent of more than 8,176,000 voters in October.

(PL)