Cuban Economist Becomes Sensation After National TV Appearance: "The People Are Suffering"

Dr. Carola Salas, head of the Center for International Economic Research (CIEI) at the University of Havana, has gained widespread attention on social media following her bold remarks on the official program "Cuadrando la Caja," broadcast on national television. In an unusually straightforward address for a state-run platform, Salas urged the Cuban government to take swift action to tackle the severe crisis facing the nation.

"The people are suffering," she declared emphatically, a statement many perceived as a pointed critique of the regime's inaction. Salas highlighted that Cuba is in an "extremely complicated" situation, with a weakened economy, liquidity shortages, and significant barriers to accessing international financing.

Impending Financial Peril

The economist warned that credit rating agencies classify the country as a risk level C, signaling an imminent payment default. "This is fatal for foreign investors who are hesitant to invest in the country due to its highly risky repayment capacity," she noted.

Salas emphasized the urgent need to attract foreign direct investment by making the process easier, crafting policies for fiscal, financial, and monetary incentives (exchange rates), and removing existing obstacles. "Foreign investors in Cuba face a series of risks that need to be addressed," she asserted. "Positive signals are essential, achieved through proper management of external debt and its repayment."

Boosting Production: A Critical Solution

Salas argued that resolving these issues hinges on addressing production: it is vital to produce and export. "Problems aren't solved by imposing barriers, limits, or price caps; inflation issues are resolved by increasing production and supply. That's the market dynamic," she explained.

She stressed that these are crucial issues the nation must address because "there's no time, and the Cuban people are suffering." One of the most significant appeals in her speech was the call to "liberate productive forces," a phrase that, in the Cuban context, suggests reducing state controls over the economy and allowing more significant roles for productive actors.

Urgency for Economic Reform

Salas also argued that the State should create favorable conditions for workers, who, she stated, must feel that their efforts lead to tangible results and real improvements in their lives. "We have to do it now," the economist concluded, with a direct plea to decision-makers.

Her speech, diverging from the usual triumphant rhetoric, quickly resonated on social media both within and outside the island, shared by hundreds as evidence of the growing pressure on the Cuban government to adopt structural measures amid the prolonged crisis.