Before long Cuba’s leadership will have to clarify to the Cuban people how generational change will occur, and what and who will be involved. The process is meant to be complete by the time of next Cuban Communist Party Congress in 2021: it is likely to b

have to be seen by Cubans of all ages as having political legitimacy, and the same moral authority, respect and the personal characteristics of those who fought in the Cuban revolution. Just as importantly they will need to be seen as genuinely representative of Cuba’s new, educated, more diverse, free-thinking and nationalistic young people.

Speaking on April 3 to the Cuban media, the First Secretary of its Young Communist League (UJC), Susely Morfa González, said that the organisation she leads is now seeking to represent all Cuban youth.

Ms Morfa ‒ who has rapidly emerged as one of several younger national political figures in Cuba and who recently became a member of the country’s Council of State ‒ made clear that in order to respond to the challenges facing the country, the UJC wants “to motivate new generations to learn more about Cuba’s history in a more inclusive, humane and creative way”.

Noting that the organisation now has 300,752 affiliates – its numbers were falling up to 2014, but the UJC says 60,000 joined in 2016 ‒ and over 33,000 grass roots committees, she said that its aim is “to promote policies that prioritise the island’s youth”.

Speaking about Cuba’s almost 3 million young people (defined in Cuba as being between 15 and 34), Ms Morfa said that the organisation she leads will continue to strengthen its political role.

“We must continue to … strengthen the functioning of our grassroots committees and to encourage youths to take on leadership roles”, she said. She also noted that the UJC intends supporting young private sector workers to explain to them their rights and “to fortify their patriotism”. Cuba’s youth “is the continuation of the generation that founded the