Vladimir Putin consolidates his power. The Russian president took the oath of office in an exaggerated ceremony in the Kremlin that begins his fifth term as president of Russia where he enjoys unprecedented power in the face of a suffocated opposition.
During his speech, Putin assured that the country is going through difficult times. "We will go through this difficult period with dignity and emerge stronger. We are a great and united nation, and together we will overcome all obstacles, we will achieve everything planned, and together, we will win," Putin said in statements reported by AFP.
The swearing-in took place at a time when Putin is not only facing a crisis due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine but also over allegations of dissent that is increasingly silenced by the Russian Government. In addition, the opposition has accused the Russian president of having murdered Alexei Navalny, who was serving a long sentence in prison. The Kremlin denies the accusations.
In fact, Navalni's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, referred to Putin's new mandate. "With each of his mandates, the situation only gets worse and it is terrifying to imagine what will happen while Putin remains in power. Our country is led by a liar, a thief, a murderer. But this will undoubtedly end," Navalnaya pointed out.
Putin strengthens his relations with Cuba
The Russian president will also meet with the Cuban dictator, Miguel Díaz-Canel, after the inauguration ceremony. Díaz-Canel pointed out that it is a working trip to Russia to address the priorities of the bilateral agenda, after the re-election of President Vladimir Putin.
Díaz-Canel also indicated that he will participate in the Supreme Council of the Eurasian Economic Union. "All this within the framework of the 64th anniversary of the reestablishment of our diplomatic relations and the 79th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War."
Participaremos en el Consejo Supremo de la Unión Económica Euroasiática. Todo ello en el marco del 64 aniversario del restablecimiento de nuestras relaciones diplomáticas y el 79 de la victoria en la Gran Guerra Patria.
— Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) May 6, 2024
As AFP recalls, "the political relationship between Havana and Moscow has been revitalized since November 2022, when the Cuban president met in the Russian capital with Putin." In fact, recently the Spanish Association Cuba in Transition and the Center for a Free Cuba collected evidence of the strengthened Russian-Cuban alliance in Cuba, Putin's preferred ally.
"Cuba has operated as a constant support for the Kremlin's propaganda, defending Moscow's version internally and internationally," explains the report, "Cuba, Putin's preferred ally."
