Cuba's economy requires 'urgent changes' to overcome a severe crisis worsened by a US oil blockade, President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated in a speech to Communist party leaders. 'The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes,' Díaz-Canel told the politburo, marking his most candid admission yet of the need to revamp the country's communist system.
Possible Models for Change
In remarks broadcast on Thursday, Díaz-Canel referenced China and Vietnam as potential templates for opening Cuba's economy globally to 'create economic wealth and distribute it equally.' The comments came during a meeting aimed at fast-tracking reforms to bolster the growing private sector as the island faces mounting pressure from Washington and a major economic downturn.
Reforms Cannot Be Postponed
Some reforms 'will not have absolute consensus but cannot be postponed,' Díaz-Canel emphasized. He argued that when people's lives become this difficult, the Communist party and government have a duty to 'change what needs to be changed' rather than rationalize the crisis.
The oil blockade imposed by former President Donald Trump in January has pushed Cuba's already struggling economy to the verge of collapse, resulting in power outages lasting over 30 hours and shortages of food, fuel, water, and medicine.
Internal Obstacles Acknowledged
While Havana has traditionally blamed its troubles on the six-decade US trade embargo and the blockade, Díaz-Canel admitted there are 'obstacles that don't come from outside, nor the blockade.' He cited 'slowness, bureaucracy, and norms that impede those who want to produce' as well as 'decisions that we have put off.'
Support from Raul Castro
The reforms, seen as a desperate last-ditch effort to prevent economic collapse, have gained backing from influential former President Raul Castro. Castro, recently indicted by the US over the downing of two civilian planes decades ago, endorsed the proposals as 'the most beneficial to the revolution at this time.'
It remains uncertain whether the changes will satisfy Trump, who advocates for a shift in Cuba's economic model, if not its leadership. 'I welcome any change that helps revive the dying patient,' the owner of a small private supermarket in Havana, speaking anonymously, told AFP in a veiled reference to Cuba's economy.
