Cuba has eliminated the maximum age limit of 60 for presidential candidates as part of a constitutional reform approved by parliament on Friday.
While the amendment lifts the upper age restriction, it retains the existing requirements: candidates must be at least 35 years old and may serve no more than two five-year terms.
The change, approved by the Council of State, allows individuals to run for president as long as they are “in full possession of their physical and mental faculties” and have demonstrated “loyalty and a revolutionary track record,” according to National Assembly President Esteban Lazo.
Former president Raúl Castro, now 94 and still a member of the National Assembly, was the first to vote in favor of the reform. It is set to take effect in time for the 2028 presidential elections.
Current President Miguel Díaz-Canel, now 65, was first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2023. No successor has been officially named.
The 2019 constitution introduced both term and age limits for the presidency, marking a significant departure from six decades of rule under Fidel Castro and later his brother Raúl.
Fidel handed power to Raúl in 2006 due to health issues and passed away in 2016 after nearly 50 years at the helm. Raúl officially became president in 2008 at the age of 76 and stepped down as Communist Party first secretary in 2021, passing leadership to Díaz-Canel.
Cuba, a nation of nearly 10 million, is currently facing its most severe economic crisis in 30 years, with widespread shortages, electricity blackouts, and a surge in emigration.
