“No one else will solve Cuba’s issues; we must resolve them ourselves,” declared Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel during a recent Council of Ministers meeting. He urged Cuban officials to embrace more “revolutionary boldness” and creativity, viewing them as essential to tackling the severe economic crisis gripping the nation.
Amid a landscape marked by an energy system collapse, food shortages, and a resurgence of diseases like dengue and chikungunya, Díaz-Canel stressed that the only viable solution is through work, production, and efficiency. “We will push forward and overcome this,” he proclaimed.
The meeting, also led by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, reviewed the economic plan and the state budget execution up to August 2025. Díaz-Canel emphasized the necessity to boost tourism and meet export targets to ensure timely foreign currency earnings, crucial for purchasing food, raw materials, fuel, and other essential goods.
He encouraged diversifying income through service exports, especially in the IT sector, and improving the agricultural system’s efficiency—an area the government has struggled with for over 60 years. "If the primary sector doesn't produce more, we are very limited," he stated.
Energy Collapse: No Immediate Solutions in Sight
One of the most pressing issues discussed was the national electrical system's dire state. Despite some progress in distributed generation and new solar parks, Díaz-Canel acknowledged that these improvements are not impacting daily life, which is plagued by extended power outages.
The energy shortfall continues to cripple not only the economy but all societal sectors, severely affecting hospitals, schools, and potable water supply networks, many of which falter due to lack of electricity.
Health Crisis Worsens with Dengue Resurgence
While Díaz-Canel calls for "revolutionary boldness," the country's sanitary conditions are deteriorating. The scarcity of medicines is compounded by a surge in vector-borne diseases like those spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The situation is exacerbated by rising dengue and chikungunya cases without effective vector control measures.
Complaints about accumulated garbage, streets flooded with sewage, and mosquito proliferation are rampant in Havana and other cities.
State Budget: Income Gains But Spending Lags
Regarding the state budget execution, Finance and Prices Minister Vladimir Regueiro reported that while the fiscal deficit decreased due to exceeding income targets, significant underspending has occurred in planned expenses, both current and capital, due to low economic activity levels.
The General Comptroller highlighted deficiencies in the use of state funds, calling for tighter control over public resource allocation, especially in the corporate sector.
Lack of Concrete Results in Government Program
The ministerial meeting presented an updated version of the Government Program aimed at "correcting distortions" and "reinvigorating the economy," approved by the Political Bureau on September 22. However, no substantial progress has been reported in achieving the outlined objectives, beyond guidelines and timelines.
Amid calls for revolutionary creativity, budgetary figures, and speeches on efficiency, Cuba’s crisis continues to deepen, leaving millions of Cubans to face the daily challenges of an economic model that fails to provide real solutions to their everyday struggles.
Key Questions on Cuba's Crisis and Government Response
What measures is the Cuban government taking to address the energy crisis?
The government is working on distributed generation and integrating new solar parks. However, these efforts have not yet made a significant impact on alleviating the daily power outages faced by the population.
How is the health situation in Cuba being managed amid the resurgence of diseases?
The health situation is challenging due to medicine shortages and a rise in vector-borne diseases like dengue. The lack of effective vector control measures has exacerbated the issue.
What are the main challenges facing Cuba’s agricultural sector?
The agricultural sector struggles with low production levels, which limits the country's ability to meet its food needs. The government has yet to achieve significant improvements in this sector over the past six decades.