Cuba has abolished the maximum age limit of 60 for presidential candidates, marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. The constitutional reform, approved by parliament on Friday, will apply to the 2028 presidential elections. National Assembly President Esteban Lazo stated that the new measure allows individuals “in the full exercise of their physical and mental faculties, with loyalty and revolutionary trajectory” to contest the presidency, regardless of age.
The decision retains the existing minimum age requirement of 35 and the two-term limit of five years each for the presidency. Current President Miguel DÃaz-Canel, 65, was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2023. Although the amendment doesn’t directly impact his current tenure, it positions him or any future candidate over the previous age limit as eligible in subsequent cycles, provided the two-term cap isn’t breached.
Former President Raúl Castro, 94, who still holds a seat in the assembly, was the first to vote in favor of the reform. This move signals the continued influence of revolutionary-era leaders within the government ranks. The 2019 constitution, which introduced term and age limits, marked a historic departure from nearly six decades of uninterrupted rule by Fidel and Raúl Castro.
The removal of the age cap has sparked debate over Cuba’s future leadership and the evolving role of older political figures. While some interpret it as a necessary flexibility for a country with an aging revolutionary leadership, others see it as a potential loophole for extended power play. Analysts suggest this move could potentially broaden the field for older revolutionary figures to re-emerge in top roles.
The reform comes amid Cuba’s worst economic crisis in over three decades, with chronic shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, frequent power outages, and record emigration. The island nation, home to nearly 10 million people, is grappling with growing public discontent. Many view the timing of the reform as strategic, aimed at maintaining control over the political narrative ahead of a potentially turbulent election season in 2028.
No official successor has been named by the ruling Communist Party. The government has not yet confirmed whether DÃaz-Canel will run again or if new candidates from the revolutionary old guard or a younger generation will be allowed to contest the election. As Cuba navigates its complex economic and political landscape, the removal of the age limit for presidential candidates is poised to reshape the country’s future leadership.