Why Do We Place Our Trust in Our Youth?
The fact that the Cuban Revolution has complete trust in its younger generations is not a mere cliché or slogan; the Revolution in itself is a confirmation of this concept. This is why the 50th Anniversary of the Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs) victory is dedicated to the Cuban youth.
Shortly following the January 1, 1959 triumph of the Cuban Revolution, the great French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre visited Cuba. In 1960, a book was published called, Sartre Visits Cuba, where Sartre narrates his time on the island, writing: “Since a revolution was necessary, the circumstances appointed the young people to carry it out. Only the youth felt enough outrage and anguish to begin the revolution, and only they were pure enough to see it through.”
Admiring the miracle being carried out by the young Cubans, he added: “Today in workshops, in the fields and in a ministry, the work is being carried out by truly young people.”
Fidel and Raul have been explicit in underlining the virtues, spirit, audacity and bravery of the young people and their unwavering confidence in them. Today confirms their assessment, and if we were to ask ourselves why we believe in the youth of today, there would be an overabundance of arguments and reasons.
This affirmation is based on an extensive and rich history of struggles and sacrifices carried out by the Cuban nation and on the role played by young people in the various battles the country has fought throughout its history.
Because, after all, the overwhelming majority of those patriots who rose in arms, in the redeeming jungle, for Cuban independence to shed the Spanish colonial yoke, were young people; young brave compatriots who raised the anti-imperialist flags in front of the pro-yankee governments during the pseudo-republic. On July 26, 1953, youth, determination and hope was abundant in those who vindicated the ideals of Marti in the year of the centenarian of his birth; it was present in those intrepid expeditionaries who disembarked from the Granma yacht; and in those who fought in the valiant troops of the Rebel Army, followed by their colleagues in the underground.
Because those who wore the uniforms of the National Revolutionary Militia were young, as well as those who died heroically in Playa Giron; the combatants who were annihilated by the contra-revolutionary groups in the Escambray and in other territories of the country; the more than 100,000 people who joined the literacy campaign; those who mobilized to a war footing and challenged the nuclear danger during the Missile Crisis; the more than 300,000 internationalist combatants who, far from home and their beloved ones, voluntarily wrote glorious pages of Cuban history, achieved victory and made the altruistic example of Che come true.
Because the youth has been decisively side by side with us through these tough years of shortages and survival up against the voracious and futile attempts of the empire to destroy the Cuban Revolution any way possible. They have stood out in all spheres of society: the economy, politics, and in defense, and in all the struggles that emerged while building a new society, in conjunction with the generations that came before them and under their guidance.
Because the youth have learned that they are a prioritized target of the enemy, an enemy that perseveres in its attempt to instill imperial behavior standards, culture and ideology by very subtle methods and forms. They are well aware that the adversary will always attempt to confront generations of Cubans, to try to instill discontent in the future, distrust of the leaders of the Revolution, and uncertainty as to the future of the Cuban nation.
The series of forceful investigative reports recently transmitted on television under the title Cuba’s Reasons confirms these objectives and the erratic and cold calculation of the enemy to plan for a time when the historic leaders of the Revolution, because of the natural laws of life, are no longer physically present. The series also demonstrated the strong lineage of our young agents, their courage, dignity and patriotism, engaged in combat disguised among the enemy’s files.
Because to be worthy of the tasks and challenges of today, the youth are well aware of the effort they have to make to become better, more educated, more disciplined, and more conscious of the proper conduct to follow in these times.
Today this new generation, better educated and prepared than the ones they follow, renew their unquestionable commitment with the homeland —which is to say with the Revolution, with Fidel and with Raul—, on the 50th anniversary of the historic victory of Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs), that marked the birth of our Party and of our Socialism. This is a generation that will never allow their achievements to be destroyed nor the Jose Marti ideal that states: “A real man does not look to see on which side one lives best, but on which side lies duty.”
Because the Revolution, as Raul has said, “Is the fruit of the sacrifice made by the Cuban youth...; by all young people in all eras whose turn it was to live and fight...This revolution will be driven forth by the youth, full of optimism and unyielding faith in the victory.” The youth’s demonstrated this with their recent participation in the debates on the Draft Economic and Social Policy Guidelines of the Party and Revolution, an utterly democratic process that represents a new ratification of socialism, which can undoubtedly be improved, and of the homeland that their parents and grandparents were able to liberate with inexorable firmness.
Because leading the young generations is the Young Communist League (UJC), a political organization that has been a school for its leaders and activists, and that has contributed to the education of young people in the highest values that, in these times, must characterize the Cuban citizen, patriot and revolutionary.
Because the UJC is the strategic reserve of the Party, the guarantee for the continuity of the Revolution in a complex international panorama where human survival is at stake. In a time where Cuba is threatened by the Yankee Empire’s plans to destroy the Revolution, eliminate the achievements made by socialism, take away the hard-fought independence, and impose their never-ending yearning to annex Cuba to the United States.
Finally, in answer to the question of why we believe in our young people, during the founding of the UJC almost a half-century ago, the top leader of the Cuban Revolution said: “To believe in the youth is to see in them (...), in addition to youth, purity, heroism, character, will power, love for the homeland, faith in the homeland! Love for the Revolution, faith in the Revolution, self confidence, the profound conviction that the youth are able, that the youth are capable, and the profound conviction that great tasks can be laid on the shoulders of the youth!”
To believe in the young people also represents a commitment to follow the wise and prophetic words pronounced by Fidel on July 26, 1998: “A tree can fall because it has weak roots, but it is impossible to pull up a tree with deep roots, and we have millions of citizens with deep roots and a people with very deep roots. Our young educated people need to learn this and embody it; they need to drink from history, and nourish themselves on the glory of our homeland, its traditions and values, just as children nourish on the milk of their mothers.
“Do not allow yourselves to be confused by anything or anyone. This is our hope and that this country never regresses, that this Revolution never regresses, that they will never be able to destroy our dignity and glory.
