Havana is the capital of the communist Republic of Cuba. Its constitution was approved on February 24, 1974 and was amended in July, 1992 and June, 2002.

The legal system was based on Spanish civil law and has been influenced by American legal concepts yet has very strong elements of Communist legal theory.

Although Cubans have universal suffrage from the age of 16, elections generally only have one candidate on the ballot per office. The Cuban Communist Party is the only political party in Cuba.
The government consists of the president and vice-president (for five-year terms) with a council of ministers, a unicameral legislation (the National Assembly of People's Power (for five year terms)) and the People's Supreme Court. The president and vice-president are elected by the National Assembly.

President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul Castro Ruz was elected on 24 February 2008. Gen. Jose Ramon Machado Ventura was elected as First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Minister. (Note - the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.)

The Council of Ministers is proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session.
The National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular are elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms. The number of seats in the National Assembly is based on population. Currently there are 614 seats

Judges of the People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular are elected by the National Assembly.

Cuba participates in the following international organizations: ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO.

Although the US and Cuba do not have any direct diplomatic relations, they do communicate through the Swiss Embassys in both countries. The US has Jonathan D. Farrar working as Chief of Mission and Cuba uses Principal Officer Jorge Bolanos Suares for their communications.