Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez attends youth exercises during Cuban National Defense Day

Images via Estudios Revolución

By Alina Perera Robbio, translated from the Spanish

During National Defense Day, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of the National Defense Council as well as President of the Republic, attended the Ministry of the Interior's Demonstration Exercise on handling high-risk situations this Friday morning. Throughout the day, which aimed to enhance and intensify the practical training of the institution's forces in carrying out their missions and specific functions, he engaged in conversation with a group of young people.

"We are at a decisive moment," he said to the students of the Higher Institute of the Ministry of the Interior "Eliseo Reyes Rodríguez" (Captain San Luis), who were carrying out a demonstration exercise involving arming, disarming, and shooting with infantry weapons.

In front of the future professionals, the dignitary inquired about the progress of their studies, the number of days they have been preparing, and whether they find the intensive preparation days to be beneficial, engaging, and of high quality.

At the meeting, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic was able to appreciate how each young person showed their skills during the exercise. He then greeted each student on a morning that was also attended by Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), and Army Corps General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, the Minister of the Interior (MININT) – both of whom are members of the Political Bureau.

After the exercise ended, it was wonderful to hear the thoughts of four students who spoke with the press team from the Presidency of the Republic. They shared ideas related to the nation's current situation and the significance of preparing for the heightened aggressiveness of U.S. imperialism.

Without hesitation, Roxaura Hernández Utria, a fourth-year student at the Higher Institute of Minint, and future Law Graduate, highlighted the value of these hours of preparation.

She spoke about the importance of the new generations being ready as they are "the future of our Revolution." Roxaura reflected on President Díaz-Canel's idea regarding the critical moment Cuba is facing: "I think we are living through very difficult times." She stated this in reaction to the fact that the Revolution's sworn enemy openly reveals its intentions to dominate the Caribbean nation.

"That is why," she stressed, "we young people are preparing: because we are not going to allow it."The cadet mentioned Fidel's legacy, highlighted the significance of this year as the centennial of his birth, and reaffirmed the commitment to "face any type of threat that comes from the enemy."

Similarly, Cadet Yosuanis Cueva Tejera stated, "preparation is crucial for us, as it allows us to develop skills, both in fieldwork and in handling weapons." He believes that it is important for young people to become familiar with combat practices because they are the future of the Homeland.

"My position as a young Cuban," he told reporters, "is to always be firm." Yosuanis spoke clearly of being "at the front of the battle, and in combat for the Revolution." He also stressed that "we are at a decisive moment, because imperialism constantly threatens. They are great threats. But we are always preparing for any type of aggression."

Leyanet González Nohaya thanked President Díaz-Canel for his presence at the Demonstration Exercise. She remarked that the preparation she and her classmates undergo is integral to their field of study. She also mentioned the courage and determination, the strength of women like Mariana Grajales, whose memory was inevitably invoked on a day like this Friday.

Brenda Espinosa Chaviano characterized these preparation moments as both efficient and highly valuable, as they allowed for the practical validation of much previously acquired knowledge.

"It is an honor," she said, "that the President has visited us, and that he can see how we young people prepare ourselves for the defense of the country." She also remembered Martí's concept of the new pines forging their path and carrying the baton within themselves .And she was emphatic: "It is an honor, a duty, and even a right" to defend Cuba, because it is the "homeland where we were born, and we have to take care of it."

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC