In the midst of critical economic difficulties, we managed to eliminate unemployment and meet first priority needs of the population. A comprehensive campaign against illiteracy was implemented in 1961 to teach all the people how to read and write.

Though professionals and technicians were exiting the country encouraged from the US, especially those in the health sector, the creation of a rural health care considerably improved health care in the country, as it brought medical attention to the farthest corners of the nation.
	On December 22, 1961; Cuba was declared Free Territory of Illiteracy.

The educational system covers, also for the first time in history, all the national territory. A comprehensive program of scholarships, grants and boarding schools facilitate access of the vast masses to all levels of education, including higher education.

An important work of cultural broadcasting improved the quality of life by edition of literary works -generally mass edition- the creation of many artistic groups, and the promotion of a wide movement of amateur groups of artists. Also production and exhibition of Cuban films and films from other countries was an important aspect for the cultural development of the Cuban people. Generalized practice of sports increased the participation -outstanding participation- of the Cubans in international sports events.

Such popular effort would not have been possible without an adequate political leadership. From the very beginning of the Revolution, revolutionary organizations would implement -with some difficulties- a comprehensive integrating work. In March 1962, after Fidel Castro denounced sectarian deformations within the process, the future Partido Unido de la Revolución Socialista (United Party of the Socialist Revolution) would determine as an essential condition for membership exemplarity of the workers proposed to become members.

The constitution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1965 as the highest body of direction of the Revolution would be a decisive landmark for the unity in the country.

In 1963, taking into consideration the characteristics of the Cuban economy and the perspective commercial relations with the USSR and other socialist countries, the leadership of the Revolution adopted a new strategy for economic development. The pivot of the country’s economy would be agriculture and the first priority task would be the production of 10 million tons of sugar by 1970. This was undoubtedly an enormous challenge baring in mind the organizational, material and technical conditions existing in the country at the time. In facing this challenge, serious distortions appeared in the direction of economic processes and in the activities of revolutionary organizations, which were focusing in the mobilization of the vast mass of workers required because of the poor technical development of sugar agriculture and because of disproportional demographic structures. The set back of the "10 million tons sugar harvest" would lead to a deep revision of the economic policy.

From 1971 on, revolutionary organizations are revitalized and an institutionalization of the country starts. The peak of such deep reorganization would be the First Congress of the Communist Party after a detailed analysis of all the documents by the people. On the 24 of February 1976, a new Constitution was passed by a direct and secret ballot with the vote of 95.7% of the population over 18 years of age. The various levels of the People’s Power are created through the election of a delegate of constituency who would be the representative of the neighbors to the local or borough government.

During these years, Cuba’s stand in the international arena is strengthened. Diplomatic relationships are reestablished with Latin American countries like Peru, Panama, Chile and others, which breaks the siege imposed by the US in the previous decade. After signing several commercial agreements with the Soviet Union -with very favorable trade conditions far from the unequal practices of the international market,- Cuba becomes a member of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance.

In 1976, Cuban troops were sent to Africa at the request of the government of Angola to help in the liberation of that country from South African intervention. Shortly after, another Cuban contingent would participate in the defense of Ethiopia from Somalia aggression. The celebration in 1979 in La Habana of the Sixth Summit Conference of the Non Aligned Countries is another proof of the international prestige obtained by the Revolution.

" To be Internationalist is to pay off our debt with humanity." Fidel.