On Saturday, Lázaro Manuel Alonso, a journalist with Cuban Television, took to Facebook to advocate for penalties against officials who, from their local positions of authority, are obstructing the implementation of the economic reform package ratified by the National Assembly on June 19.
Alonso highlighted and endorsed an article from the Matanzas newspaper, Periódico Girón, titled "A Bridge Over Troubled Waters," which outlines the overt resistance from provincial and municipal leaders to the 176 economic and social measures approved in an extraordinary session. These reforms are seen as the most significant structural changes since the Special Period of the 1990s.
"The distorted views that could undermine the recently approved measures should also face consequences. Those who, through local power, aim to sabotage their execution should be sanctioned. Continuous scrutiny, even through popular control, is essential to prevent this," Alonso stated.
In his article, Humberto Fuentes Rodríguez from Periódico Girón describes an atmosphere of institutional distrust in Matanzas' work meetings, where many officials view the growth of the private sector as a direct threat to state-run enterprises.
The official Matanzas outlet reports expressions like "the private enterprises are getting ahead, and that can't happen" or "we need to step up before the private sector overtakes us," which Fuentes Rodríguez suggests reveal a mindset rooted in distrust and a "zero-sum paradigm."
The report further notes that non-state economic actors, such as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), cooperatives, and local development projects, are consistently left out of provincial economic decision-making forums, preventing their proposals from being heard.
"It's impossible not to feel a knot in the stomach when the words of the National Assembly clash with the distorted echo that reverberates in Matanzas during our municipal and provincial meetings," Fuentes Rodríguez wrote.
The package of 176 measures approved on June 19 includes, among other initiatives, the authorization of private banking for the first time since 1959, lifting the 100-worker cap for SMEs, establishing private exchange houses, converting state enterprises into joint-stock companies, and the gradual phasing out of the ration book, which has been in place since 1962.
Alonso's call to action is notable given his background as one of the most active voices in discrediting campaigns against activists and independent journalists. In 2021, he received the Juan Gualberto Gómez National Journalism Award following his attacks on the song "Patria y Vida."
His stance on this occasion highlights the internal tensions within Cuba's own system in response to the reforms, in a context where the regime rarely publicly acknowledges internal resistance to its policies.
The Periódico Girón article concludes with a call for private business voices to be "binding, not decorative" in decision-making spaces, warning: "The time for trenches is over; we must build bridges or drown in the same troubled waters."
Understanding Cuba's Economic Reforms and Challenges
What are the key components of the new economic reform package in Cuba?
The reform package includes authorizing private banking, removing the 100-worker limit for SMEs, creating private exchange houses, transforming state enterprises into joint-stock companies, and phasing out the ration book.
Why are some local officials resisting the implementation of these reforms?
Local officials perceive the expansion of the private sector as a threat to state-run enterprises, fearing it might undermine their control and influence within the economic landscape.
What is Lázaro Manuel Alonso's stance on the resistance to the reforms?
Alonso advocates for punishing those who attempt to thwart the reforms, emphasizing the need for continuous oversight to ensure successful implementation.