Last Friday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel called upon a group of handpicked young individuals by the regime to "fight" and uphold the Revolution. This event took place at the Protocol Hall of Laguito in Havana, on the eve of the 64th anniversary of the Union of Young Communists (UJC), celebrated on April 4.
According to the state-run newspaper Granma, the gathering included students, workers, scientists, doctors, and soldiers, among them combatants involved in the January 3 events in Caracas. During this incident, a U.S. military operation captured Nicolás Maduro, resulting in the death of 32 Cuban soldiers who were protecting him.
Addressing the carefully selected audience, Díaz-Canel was forthright: "We will all defend the homeland together. Here, we will fight."
The leader urged the younger generations to engage in what he termed various "battles": the energy battle, the communicational battle, the economic production battle, the popular mobilization battle, and the ideological formation battle. His slogan, "producing is resisting, and creating is overcoming," underpinned his call to action.
To emphasize the continuity of the system, Díaz-Canel invoked Fidel Castro: "If Fidel and his generation did not let the ideas of the Apostle die on their centenary, we will not let the ideas of the Commander in Chief die on his centenary."
Among the youth who spoke, Captain Miguel Alejandro Jurjo Lafargue, one of the combatants present in Caracas on January 3, expressed his gratitude for participating in the exchange, concluding his remarks with the phrase "Revolutionary until death."
The speech starkly contrasts with the reality faced by the very youth the regime is rallying. While Díaz-Canel pleads with young people to stay and "fight," thousands of Cubans continue to flee the island in search of opportunities that the dictatorship, after 67 years in power, has failed to provide.
Concluding the event, Díaz-Canel encapsulated his message with a statement blending pride and warning: "There are others in the world who recognize the greatness of the Cuban people, and we remain a beacon of hope. Therefore, Cuba is neither alone nor isolated."
Understanding Díaz-Canel's Call to Cuban Youth
What was the purpose of Díaz-Canel's call to the youth?
Díaz-Canel aimed to rally young Cubans to support and sustain the Revolution by engaging in various battles such as energy, communication, economic production, and ideological formation.
Who attended the event where Díaz-Canel spoke?
The event was attended by a handpicked group of students, workers, scientists, doctors, and soldiers, including combatants who were involved in the January 3 events in Caracas.
How does Díaz-Canel's message contrast with the reality of Cuban youth?
While Díaz-Canel calls for youth to stay and fight for the Revolution, many young Cubans are leaving the island in search of better opportunities that the regime has not been able to provide.