The
youngest deputy
By
Yoerky Sánchez Cuéllar / Photos: Elio Mirand
A CubaNews translation.
Edited by Walter Lippmann.
“We can have the interview on Friday afternoon,” she told me from the
other end of the line. I had read a summary of her CV in Granma
daily, describing her as the youngest of 612 candidates to the
Parliament.
Barely turned 20, Lisett Conde Sánchez has already a seat in the Cuban
state’s top organ. She proudly flaunts her medical student’s coat which
she wore this morning at Victoria de Girón school. Now she leafs
through some books on the table as she bides her time waiting for the
coffee her mother Yolanda is making.
“My family has my back in everything. I don’t think I could do my duties
at school and as a leader of the Federation of University
Students (FEU) without their support,” she says in a cheerful, if
casual, tone while my photographer checks the best angle to take her
picture.
“They told me you were born in Santiago de Cuba…”
“Yes, I’ve been in Havana for around three years. In Santiago, I got my
primary and secondary education and was a student leader. I thought I
would find it hard to adapt to Havana or be well-received by my class
here, but fortunately I found people who have helped with everything.
At first, I wanted to study theater at the Higher Arts Institute (ISA),
but they only had places for workers. So I applied for medical school,
took the entrance examination, and now I’m already a sophomore.”
“What do you see as the highlight of your studies?”
“The chances to interact with people since you’re a freshman. The way we
can put to practice what we study is fascinating because you get to see
the result of your efforts and to learn a great deal.
We start working in polyclinics at a very early stage to complement our
theoretical knowledge. In medical science, the slightest slip can make
you fail. For instance, Morphophysiology is one of the hardest subjects.
You have to go by the book and be fully aware that a student’s topmost
duty is precisely to study.”
“But you have duties to fulfill with the FEU. How do you manage?”
“At school I’m the member of FEU secretariat in charge of work and
defense. One of my duties is to call on the students to take part in
rallies like the one of November 27 or the March of the Torches; or to
donate blood, so that they can play a role in society and contribute as
citizens, of course, without conventionalities and on their own accord.
“We must be able to make every student feel duty-bound to come to our
rallies and parades and on their own volition. In that way, those
activities will leave their mark on them, as will the pleasant moments
shared with their classmates and the honor of doing it freely and
without pressure.
It’s not easy to organize all this, but we at the secretariat work
properly together and count on the students’ support.”
“FEU is now preparing its Eighth Congress. What topics are there on
the agenda to discuss among the students?”
“A topic for discussion is that what our students have to do must be
their own idea. We need to get rid of top-down decision-making.”
“How many opinions, questions and suggestions can there be?”
“It's Endless. And that’s possible because we’re all young people with
different outlooks on things and different experiences in life. We're
capable of debating any issue and coming up with solutions. That’s the
general feeling that our statements will reflect in the congress in line
with the interests of every class and every student.”
“In your view, what changes does FEU need to make for its 90th
anniversary?”
“For starters, we need to be more organic and work better, and to see to
it that all FEU members feel they are truly represented. We need to
change and reorganize FEU’s ABC, as our guiding document is no longer on
the same wavelength as the current situation in either the country or
the students’ world. We must put together a more complete and integrated
platform in keeping with present circumstances.
As to us leaders, we need a stronger commitment, starting at grass-roots
level. If we’re elected to do something, it shouldn’t be just to fill a
space. We must work for FEU without losing sight of the main goal, which
is getting as best grades as possible.”
“When did you find out you were to be a candidate for the
Parliament?”
“Right on December 20, the day of FEU’s 90th anniversary, I opened
Granma and, to my surprise, I was there among the other nominees
from the municipality of 10 de Octubre. I wasn’t really expecting that,
although I had been put forward as a reserve candidate by the assembly
of the National Council, held before that day. It’s a great privilege
and a huge responsibility considering that there are many others like me
who deserve that seat for their achievements and capability.”
“Tell me of your exchanges with people before the election.”
“It was an enriching experience. It fell to me to have it together with
Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, and I learned very
much from people’s questions and comments in factories, schools,
communities… My school understood the need to hold these meetings and,
even if I didn’t attend them all, they helped me have a good grasp of
the territory I must represent in Parliament.”
“And how do you intend to go about it in the Cuban state’s top
organ?”
“At the National Assembly I will do my best to do an honorable job in
the Commission they assign me to and to pay heed to the concerns of my
voters before we pass any law and make any decision. I will state my
views when needed and at the right time, not from a personal or a
territorial but from a collective standpoint, with my country in mind.
We only ask people to trust that their young people in Parliament will
know how to rise to the occasion.”
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