The Union of Young Communists (UJC) announced on Saturday the placement of billboards throughout Havana under the slogan "The measure is to act," as part of the celebrations for its 65th anniversary. The response on social media was not exactly what they expected: a flood of irony, sarcasm, and uncomfortable questions buried the organization's Facebook post.
The banner illustrated in the post, designed in shades of fuchsia pink and purple with the image of a smiling young woman, features the stylized number 65 and the text "La Talla, es Hacer." The UJC invited its followers to take pictures with these messages and share the images: "When you come across one, take a photo and share it with us!" the organization wrote.
The campaign is part of the activities leading up to the 65th anniversary of the UJC, scheduled to be celebrated on April 4, 2027.
The slogan was officially launched on October 21 at the Mariana Grajales park, in the Havana municipality of Plaza de la Revolución, featuring book, health, employment, and commerce fairs. The national first secretary of the organization, Meyvis Estévez Echevarría, also promoted it in neighborhoods of Las Tunas, where she called on young people to join the Community Youth Network.
But the official enthusiasm clashed head-on with reality. Internet users quickly rewrote the slogan in their own way. "The point is that they should leave! Or be removed!" wrote one. Another was more concise: "Are there any young people left in Cuba?" A third directly pointed out the contradiction: "There are resources for propaganda but not for repairing schools. Is it the embargo? Young people who think differently from government policy are also Cuban youth."
Questions about the money spent on the billboards were echoed in dozens of comments. "How many children could have had breakfast with what that sign cost?" asked one user. Another was more direct: "They should put up something useful, not billboards." And one more summarized the general sentiment with an alternative suggestion for celebration: "Why not celebrate this anniversary by doing something productive? [...] If you truly are the future, start now by putting aside the propaganda and doing a bit more for the community."
The context in which the campaign is unfolding could hardly be more unfavorable for the regime. Cuba has experienced eight total nationwide blackouts so far in 2026, with some circuits in various regions going without electricity for over 50, 60, and even 90 consecutive hours.
CEPAL projected a contraction of the Cuban GDP of 10.3% in 2026, the worst in Latin America. In that context, the irony of spending on propaganda while there are shortages of medicine, food, and electricity did not go unnoticed: "There is certainly money for that," wrote one user. "Is there fuel to transport those billboards?" asked another.
The disconnect between the official discourse and the reality of Cuban youth is supported by figures. The UJC lost over 194,000 members between 2007 and 2024, decreasing from 609,000 to 415,000 affiliates, a 32% drop recognized at the XII Congress of the organization. Cuba recorded a negative migration balance of 245,264 people just in 2025, and most of those leaving are under 35 years old.
"The Cuban youth remains steadfast in the defense of the Homeland," the political organization's post stated this Saturday. The comments on the network delivered a sharp blow: "So steadfast that half have left, and those who remain are only because they can't leave," wrote a netizen decisively.
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