Future Cuban Journalists Discuss Mandatory Military Service

A group of future Journalism students under the Cuban regime spoke to the National TV News (NTV), emphasizing the educational value of their mandatory military service. "Young people from Guantánamo, the easternmost province of Cuba, who will study journalism, are currently completing Active Military Service," reported the NTV, carefully avoiding the term "mandatory."

At the end of January, it was announced that Cuban women who choose to study for a degree in Journalism will have to complete a year of Mandatory Military Service before starting their studies. This rule will come into effect starting from the 2024-2025 academic cycle.

Until now, military service has been mandatory in Cuba for males, who are called to enlist starting at the age of 16. However, the regime insists on denying its obligatoriness, despite the National Defense Law stating in Chapter VIII, Section Three (Article 77) that "male citizens, during the year they turn sixteen, are required to register in the military register."

The regulation also mandates that "once registered in the military register, citizens are required to participate in activities aimed at preparing them for incorporation into military service and to keep their status updated."

Experiences and Opinions on Mandatory Military Service

"Serving in the Frontier Brigade, the first anti-imperialist trench of our country and Latin America, has been a significant commitment and mission presented by the revolution. Firstly, for guarding the dreams of millions of Cubans and having the responsibility to protect the perimeter of the Frontier Brigade. It is a significant commitment to the revolution, socialism, and the homeland," said David Alejandro Medina Cabrera to NTV.

"This prepares us to climb mountains and face various difficult moments without feeling that there is an obstacle," opined Nayare Mozos Cobas. "I believe it contributes to my physical, mental, biological, and political growth regarding my personality and the situation the country is going through, and it will be very productive," noted Arisniubis Zabala Lara.

According to the official media report, "these young people choose to make a revolution through journalism" and therefore "comply with the requirement of active military service, something new for the girls, who see it as a positive experience."

"I believe that fulfilling this great honor of preparing to defend the homeland, which means completing active military service, will contribute greatly to our future training as journalists in our country since we will acquire responsibility and discipline that will be useful for our career and for doing the kind of journalism that our country and revolution need today," said Ana Laura Campello Pérez.

For her part, María Carla Leyva Herrera highlighted that military service is "a formative stage for every soldier who goes through it, and for us - the women in journalism - this new duty will contribute significantly to our career because we will be in the front anti-imperialist trench and can learn from there all the revolution's aspects, everything our revolution has gone through. For us, as journalists, more than an honor, it is a responsibility, a duty to be fulfilled, and it will contribute greatly to us, both as people and professionals."

"Completing active military service gives us preparation to face any situation, it gives us responsibility, discipline, care... Additionally, as women, we form ourselves as the true Marianas of this revolution, and it helps us and reminds us that dreams do come true," concluded Angelina González Labrada.