Cuba approves economic reforms amid US pressure
Cuba's Communist Party has signed off on a package of free market reforms. One member called the changes a response to "economic war," while the
Cuba's Communist Party has signed off on a package of free market reforms. One member called the changes a response to "economic war," while the party said they were not a "deviation" from the socialist project. The Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) on Wednesday approved a package of reforms aimed at opening up more sectors to private investment. The reform process coincides with increased economic pressure from the US and comes amid regular power outages and other resource shortages on the island. The country's president and the first secretary of its only legal political party, Miguel Diaz-Canel, first presented the plans late last week. Cuba faces most severe energy crisis in decades To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What did the PCC say as it approved the reforms? The Central Committee of the PCC held an extraordinary plenary session on Wednesday to urgently evaluate the proposals. The party wrote on social media that the changes were "an expression of the logic of development in the historical period," and insisted that they "in no way constitute a deviation from the socialist project." Streets in Havana have gone dark amid a growing economic and energy crisis Image: Pablo Miranzo/Nexpher Images/ZUMA/picture alliance It also repeatedy said that Raul Castro, the 95-year-old brother of revolutionary leader Fidel and still widely seen as at least the symbolic power behind the throne, had been consulted on and approved of the proposals.
Castro participated via video feed but did not attend in person. Castro "fully agrees" with the economic reforms proposed by Diaz-Canel and is "convinced that the best ideas always emerge from collective analysis and even from differences of opinion," PCC Political Bureau member Jose Amado Ricardo Guerra told the assembly. The head of the Committee's ideological department, Yuniaski Crespo Baquero, echoed party messaging in calling the steps a response to "the economic war confronting Cuba." But she also hailed the reforms as "a homegrown, creative, brave and revolutionary response." What might the changes entail? President Miguel Diaz-Canel's proposals, first put forward in a surprise appearance before state media, are not particularly well defined but promise to be fairly far-reaching. Some noteworthy aspects follow 'New actors' should be allowed to operate in the tourism sector, under 'new models' Foreign direct investment (particularly from non-resident Cubans, many of whom live in the US) should be Steps will be taken looking to expand the private sector Reforms will aim to revitalize key sectors like agriculture, foreign trade and real estate Decision-making is to be decentralized, with more 'autonomy' being granted to state-owned companies and local municipalities Cuba on the brink: The end of a revolution? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Why is this happening now?
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