Raul Castro, first secretary-general of the Communist Party of Cuba, is expected to step down on Friday at the 8th Party Congress. It would be the last official time a Castro would helm the political institution since the 1959 revolution led by Raul and his brother Fidel Castro.

With 89-year-old Castro retiring, the move would hand over control to a younger generation of politicians, led by Miguel Diaz-Canel, who became president in 2018.

Castro announced back in 2016 that he would yield power over the party to Diaz-Canel at the 2021 Congress. Castro’s 90-year-old deputy, Jose Ramon Machado is also expected to resign during the gathering.

The Congress, held every five years, is the Communist Party’s most important meeting for electing leadership and defining policy goals.

Castro’s stepping down comes as the nation faces a number of crises, including the pandemic and the economy.

Issues new and old plague the island

In 2014, Havana and Washington restored some diplomatic and business relations, but since the Trump administration, the country’s fortunes have shifted.  

Cuba’s economy has been struggling, reportedly declining 11% in 2020 due to tougher U.S. sanctions and domestic inefficiencies, according to Reuters.

Then in early 2021, in one of its last acts, the Trump administration slapped new sanctions on the country after declaring it a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

Cuba’s imports also slumped during the same time period, with imports from China dropping 40%. This has been part of an ongoing decline within the import dependent country.

Cubans are still confronted with shortages of basic goods, like food and medicine, with long lines a common sight.

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated many of the country’s issues.  

The country has seen more than 90,000 confirmed cases and nearly 500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The pandemic has also limited the tourism industry.

Scientists have been working to develop Cuba's own vaccines. National health authorities hope to implement mass vaccinations in August.  At least two of the five vaccination projects are now in Phase 3 of clinical trials.

Cuba’s future

Many Cubans are hoping for radical changes after Castro hands over power.

Protests, though small, have cropped up across the country, with some people calling for democratic changes and urging the Biden administration to follow-through with easing sanctions.

The Cuban government has been critical of these movements, accusing them of being paid exiles in Miami, the AP reports.

Younger Cubans are frustrated by the failures of the implementation of economic reforms Castro promised in 2011. These guidelines have only been 70% implemented, according to party reports.

Diaz-Canel has already attempted to kick start the economy, allowing for broader reforms for private enterprises, like permitting Cubans to legally operate any self-run business from their homes.

Analysts are warning that Cuba needs to focus on a major overhaul of state-run companies and government agencies, where a majority of Cubans depend for their salaries.

One former Cuban diplomat says the biggest challenge in bringing change to the country remains between hardline members concerned about political control and reformers looking to open the economy.