Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, stated on Friday during the official program Mesa Redonda that the Cuban government did not appear on the platform "to make excuses."
Instead, Pérez-Oliva explained, the government's intention was to inform the public about strategies to tackle the "severe fuel shortage" gripping the nation.
"We are not here to make excuses. Our aim is to reduce the impact on the Cuban population," he remarked during his presentation.
The discussion focused on detailing the government's plan to address the ongoing energy crisis. Within this context, Pérez-Oliva emphasized that "now is the time" to implement a series of measures, ensuring that electricity generation is maintained with domestic crude oil and that hospital services remain operational.
Additionally, he highlighted the importance of local production by municipalities as part of the internal response to the current situation.
In his statements, Pérez-Oliva acknowledged that the government is aware of both internal issues and external factors contributing to the crisis.
"We do not want to use the blockade as an excuse; there are a number of internal deficiencies," he stated.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Pérez-Oliva emphasized that the state continues to prioritize defense readiness and the protection of revenue-generating economic activities, which are maintained alongside energy contingency measures.
Although he refused to justify the situation with the blockade, he did note that "oil shipments from Venezuela have been halted following the seizure of Maduro," presenting the appearance as a public information exercise to outline decisions made in light of the current conditions.
During the same discussion, Pérez-Oliva reiterated that municipalities should enhance local capabilities in response to the crisis.
Finally, after his presentation on Mesa Redonda, government officials planned to engage with the public to explain the measures being implemented as part of the governmental response to the fuel crisis.
Understanding Cuba's Fuel Crisis Response
What measures is the Cuban government implementing to tackle the fuel shortage?
The Cuban government is focusing on maintaining electricity generation with domestic crude oil and ensuring hospital services are operational. They are also encouraging local production in municipalities as part of the internal response.
How is the Cuban government addressing internal and external factors in the energy crisis?
The government acknowledges both internal deficiencies and external factors, such as the halted oil shipments from Venezuela, as contributing to the energy crisis. They aim to address these by implementing strategic measures.
What priorities does Cuba maintain despite the fuel shortage?
Cuba continues to prioritize defense readiness and the protection of economic activities that generate revenue, in addition to the energy contingency measures.