Cuba is experiencing a difficult economic situation due to the intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government, but also due to limitations that persist within the nation in certain areas and can only be overcome through hard work, production, and efficiency.
"We are the ones who must overcome this situation," said Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee and President of the Republic, speaking at the most recent meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was chaired by Political Bureau member and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.
No one is going to solve Cuba's problems for us—the Head of State emphasized—we have to solve them ourselves, and we have to solve them, among other things, with revolutionary audacity and creativity, and also with effort, because the "concept is that we are moving forward, and we will overcome this."
In his remarks, which took place during the presentation of the economic performance at the end of August, the president referred to the need to comply with exports and ensure timely collection, as well as an in-depth analysis of the factors that are influencing this failure.
Díaz-Canel recalled that exports and the income they generate provide the foreign currency the country needs to purchase supplies, raw materials, fuel, food, and other products essential to the economy and society. Hence his insistence on being more efficient throughout this process.
He also highlighted the importance of continuing to strengthen the export of services, strengthening tourism, and expanding into other areas where we have enormous potential. In this regard, he emphasized the imperative to implement more agile actions, especially regarding IT services and other services that can generate higher incomes.
In light of the growing lack of export revenue, President Díaz-Canel insisted that all exporters work to transform this situation, as it is vital for the country. Much of the country's economic growth depends on exporters of both goods and services.
The president also emphasized the importance of expanding agricultural and industrial production, because, he said, if this primary sector "doesn't produce more, we are very limited." We know that a tremendous effort has been made in agriculture, he commented, but it has focused on root vegetables and vegetables; much remains to be done in livestock and meat and egg production.
Regarding the sugar sector, he emphasized the comprehensive approach it must take, as its mission "is not just to produce sugar, but also to produce derivatives and to have an energy focus on sugarcane production, and for that, the first thing we need is to have sugarcane."
The First Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee later referred to the current complex electricity situation in the nation, which has a significant impact on the lives of the population and on economic and social development. He recalled how, despite the limitations, distributed generation capacity has been recovered, although it has not yet been possible to perceive an improvement in the day-to-day situation.
He highlighted the increase in photovoltaic parks being added to generation, which has allowed the deficit to be smaller during the day. Without these investments, he considered, the situation would be more difficult.
That—he asserted—is a program that continues, and we have it in hand because the resources are in the country, and all the parks that should come into operation this year have already been started.
Díaz-Canel also reflected on the behavior of retail sales, an aspect that, he said, "will not recover if there is no supply," hence his emphasis on increasing supply with domestic production, primarily food.
Regarding the national electricity sector, Díaz-Canel stated that distributed generation capacity has been recovered, although it has not yet been possible to see an improvement in the day-to-day situation. Photo: Estudios Revolución
Prior to the Cuban President's address, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez, detailed the main aspects that distinguished the export sector's activity and external revenue generation at the end of August; the production levels of sectors such as agriculture, sugar, energy, and housing; and the performance of new economic players; macroeconomic stabilization; as well as the performance of social factors such as employment, wages, and care for people in vulnerable situations.
Given the complex situation that persists in the country, and therefore the implementation of the Economic Plan, Alonso Vázquez emphasized that the business community must direct its efforts, among other actions, toward achieving the full implementation of the approved self-financing schemes in foreign currency to generate increasing resources for the economy; prioritizing and accelerating the introduction of renewable energy sources for their operations; implementing the measures established to address the water supply shortage due to drought and other emergencies; increasing the supply of goods and services in pesos, essential for macroeconomic stabilization; strengthening logistics for exports; and promoting a greater number of foreign investment projects, paying special attention to those that enable increased value-added revenue.
The government program is under discussion and analysis.
As has been customary in Council of Ministers meetings since January 2024, a detailed report was presented on the status of implementation of the Government Program to correct distortions and relaunch the economy. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz detailed the steps taken to update it, as well as the actions implemented since July.
That updated proposal, he said, includes the version approved by the Political Bureau on September 22, which will form the basis for the discussion and analysis process that will take place in the country on this important document.
Regarding the main changes to the text, he listed, among others, the clarification of the scope of the ten general objectives, which entailed modifications to some of them. At the same time, he pointed out that the 39 specific objectives, along with their implementation schedules and the actions for the months of September to December, were updated.
He explained the actions taken to prepare and develop the Program's study and analysis process with political and grassroots organizations, state structures, and the government. The objectives are to "achieve a comprehensive understanding of the Government Program and the connections between the general and specific objectives and actions, as well as to define, in each scenario, the specific role that corresponds to the Program's implementation."
Favorable execution of the state budget
Another topic included on the meeting's agenda was an analysis of the State Budget execution at the end of August, a period in which—as stated by the Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, when presenting the report—the results are "favorable in relation to the indicators forecast for that date."
Specifically, regarding the accumulated fiscal deficit, he explained that a significant reduction has been achieved, marked above all by the over-fulfillment of revenue targets.
However, he drew attention to the fact that during this period of the year, "significant expenditure under-executions, both current and capital, have begun to be seen, precisely because of the unmet activity levels, which are supported by budget planning."
He also described the current account surplus as favorable. "This allows us to focus financing demands on capital expenditures, since we are able to cover consumer spending financed by the State Budget with current revenues," he noted.
Regarding the provincial results, he considered that the local budgets of municipalities and provinces, at the end of August, showed a positive result. Five provinces, he noted, have continued to consolidate their surpluses: Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and Villa Clara.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to conduct a more in-depth analysis of "the work being done at the regional level, in order to advance the path toward achieving surpluses in our provinces and municipalities," based on increasing revenue, management, and compliance with key indicators.
A municipality, he stressed, will never fully develop if it does not achieve surplus status.
Closely linked to the execution of the State Budget, the Council of Ministers also learned about the results of the oversight actions carried out on that process by the Comptroller General's Office.
In this regard, Comptroller General Miriam Marbán González stated that the main actions were related to the use and allocation of current transfers approved for unbudgeted business activity.
Among other aspects, he emphasized the priority of continuing to work on systematic, efficient, and rigorous oversight at every level to prevent and oversee compliance with the established objectives. He also emphasized the urgent need to uphold the role of the contract; demand ethical conduct from managers and employees; strengthen accounting; achieve effective and conscious participation of labor groups in the management and oversight of their entities; and improve internal control systems.
A new portfolio of opportunities for Cuba
For the eleventh time since 2014, the Council of Ministers approved the country's Portfolio of Foreign Investment Opportunities. According to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, this document reflects the country's sovereign decision to increase the share of foreign direct investment as an important source of economic and social development.
According to him, the new Opportunities Portfolio is made up of 426 projects, represented in all territories of the country, 38 of which were presented by local governments. In this regard, he emphasized that differentiated work must be done to identify projects at the territorial level that leverage existing endogenous resources and are sufficiently attractive for investors.
The most represented sectors are oil, tourism, the sugar agroindustry, food production, the biopharmaceutical industry, general industry, and mining.
The Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment also presented the report on the economic impacts caused to the country by irregularities in foreign trade operations at the end of the first half of 2025, stating that systematic monitoring and control mechanisms must be strengthened to minimize the damage. Among other things, he noted that the largest amounts of the economic impacts identified during the period correspond to expenses due to delays in the clearance, extraction, and return of containers.
Other topics on the agenda
Other important issues in the nation's current economic and social landscape were also addressed by the highest government bodies during the day.
Specifically, regarding the status of accounts receivable and payable due at the end of the first half of 2025, the Minister of Finance and Prices assured that monthly monitoring has been maintained since the execution of the State Budget.
However, he asserted, problems persist in the management system, associated with, among other factors, the lack of reconciliation of defaults between the parties; the misuse of financial tools; and a lack of enforcement and oversight.
Likewise, as part of the meeting, compliance with preventive and protective measures for hazardous substances for the period January-August 2025 was updated. It was confirmed that the security and protection system for controlled hazardous substances in Cuba maintains broad and systematic coverage, with the capacity to identify vulnerabilities and implement measures.
Several draft decrees were evaluated during the day by members of the Council of Ministers, including the presidential decree "To regulate the process of planning work objectives and activities in the bodies and agencies of the Central State Administration, national entities, and local bodies of People's Power."
This document is based on Instruction No. 1 for the planning of activities, issued in September 2009 by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, in his capacity as President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers. Subsequently, after nearly two years of implementation and based on the experience gained, it was updated in September 2011.
The Presidential Decree regulates the process of planning work objectives and activities, establishing how they should be developed and their annual clarification based on the National Economic and Social Development Plan to 2030 (PNDES 2030), the Government Program to correct distortions and relaunch the economy, and the possibility of using different management techniques.
Likewise, the highest government body approved four draft decrees: the Decree on Agricultural and Forestry Marketing, its Regulations, and the Resolution containing guidelines for the procurement of these products for 2026; the Regulations of the Decree-Law "On Customs"; the Regulations of Law 1089 "On Diplomatic Exemptions and Franchises"; and the Decree "National Celebration of Older Persons' Day."
In the final minutes of the meeting's agenda, the Ministry of Higher Education, headed by its head, Walter Baluja García, and the governor of Mayabeque, Manuel Aguiar Lamas, gave an account of their management.
Both exercises, which are standard practice within the highest governing body, were approved at the meeting with a focus on how, through the bodies, agencies of the Central State Administration, and all the country's institutions, both individually and collectively, each person and entity should contribute to the nation's economic and social development, at a time when Cuba requires the contributions of everyone.
rainpizza in cuba
"We, cubans, must solve Cuba's problems ourselves, with revolutionary audacity and creativity"
https://www.juventudrebelde.cu/cuba/2025-10-08/los-problemas-de-cuba-los-tenemos-que-resolver-nosotros-con-audacia-revolucionaria-y-creatividadCuba is experiencing a difficult economic situation due to the intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States government, but also due to limitations that persist within the nation in certain areas and can only be overcome through hard work, production, and efficiency.
"We are the ones who must overcome this situation," said Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee and President of the Republic, speaking at the most recent meeting of the Council of Ministers, which was chaired by Political Bureau member and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.
No one is going to solve Cuba's problems for us—the Head of State emphasized—we have to solve them ourselves, and we have to solve them, among other things, with revolutionary audacity and creativity, and also with effort, because the "concept is that we are moving forward, and we will overcome this."
In his remarks, which took place during the presentation of the economic performance at the end of August, the president referred to the need to comply with exports and ensure timely collection, as well as an in-depth analysis of the factors that are influencing this failure.
Díaz-Canel recalled that exports and the income they generate provide the foreign currency the country needs to purchase supplies, raw materials, fuel, food, and other products essential to the economy and society. Hence his insistence on being more efficient throughout this process.
He also highlighted the importance of continuing to strengthen the export of services, strengthening tourism, and expanding into other areas where we have enormous potential. In this regard, he emphasized the imperative to implement more agile actions, especially regarding IT services and other services that can generate higher incomes.
In light of the growing lack of export revenue, President Díaz-Canel insisted that all exporters work to transform this situation, as it is vital for the country. Much of the country's economic growth depends on exporters of both goods and services.
The president also emphasized the importance of expanding agricultural and industrial production, because, he said, if this primary sector "doesn't produce more, we are very limited." We know that a tremendous effort has been made in agriculture, he commented, but it has focused on root vegetables and vegetables; much remains to be done in livestock and meat and egg production.
Regarding the sugar sector, he emphasized the comprehensive approach it must take, as its mission "is not just to produce sugar, but also to produce derivatives and to have an energy focus on sugarcane production, and for that, the first thing we need is to have sugarcane."
The First Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee later referred to the current complex electricity situation in the nation, which has a significant impact on the lives of the population and on economic and social development. He recalled how, despite the limitations, distributed generation capacity has been recovered, although it has not yet been possible to perceive an improvement in the day-to-day situation.
He highlighted the increase in photovoltaic parks being added to generation, which has allowed the deficit to be smaller during the day. Without these investments, he considered, the situation would be more difficult.
That—he asserted—is a program that continues, and we have it in hand because the resources are in the country, and all the parks that should come into operation this year have already been started.
Díaz-Canel also reflected on the behavior of retail sales, an aspect that, he said, "will not recover if there is no supply," hence his emphasis on increasing supply with domestic production, primarily food.
Regarding the national electricity sector, Díaz-Canel stated that distributed generation capacity has been recovered, although it has not yet been possible to see an improvement in the day-to-day situation. Photo: Estudios Revolución
Prior to the Cuban President's address, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez, detailed the main aspects that distinguished the export sector's activity and external revenue generation at the end of August; the production levels of sectors such as agriculture, sugar, energy, and housing; and the performance of new economic players; macroeconomic stabilization; as well as the performance of social factors such as employment, wages, and care for people in vulnerable situations.
Given the complex situation that persists in the country, and therefore the implementation of the Economic Plan, Alonso Vázquez emphasized that the business community must direct its efforts, among other actions, toward achieving the full implementation of the approved self-financing schemes in foreign currency to generate increasing resources for the economy; prioritizing and accelerating the introduction of renewable energy sources for their operations; implementing the measures established to address the water supply shortage due to drought and other emergencies; increasing the supply of goods and services in pesos, essential for macroeconomic stabilization; strengthening logistics for exports; and promoting a greater number of foreign investment projects, paying special attention to those that enable increased value-added revenue.
The government program is under discussion and analysis.
As has been customary in Council of Ministers meetings since January 2024, a detailed report was presented on the status of implementation of the Government Program to correct distortions and relaunch the economy. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz detailed the steps taken to update it, as well as the actions implemented since July.
That updated proposal, he said, includes the version approved by the Political Bureau on September 22, which will form the basis for the discussion and analysis process that will take place in the country on this important document.
Regarding the main changes to the text, he listed, among others, the clarification of the scope of the ten general objectives, which entailed modifications to some of them. At the same time, he pointed out that the 39 specific objectives, along with their implementation schedules and the actions for the months of September to December, were updated.
He explained the actions taken to prepare and develop the Program's study and analysis process with political and grassroots organizations, state structures, and the government. The objectives are to "achieve a comprehensive understanding of the Government Program and the connections between the general and specific objectives and actions, as well as to define, in each scenario, the specific role that corresponds to the Program's implementation."
Favorable execution of the state budget
Another topic included on the meeting's agenda was an analysis of the State Budget execution at the end of August, a period in which—as stated by the Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, when presenting the report—the results are "favorable in relation to the indicators forecast for that date."
Specifically, regarding the accumulated fiscal deficit, he explained that a significant reduction has been achieved, marked above all by the over-fulfillment of revenue targets.
However, he drew attention to the fact that during this period of the year, "significant expenditure under-executions, both current and capital, have begun to be seen, precisely because of the unmet activity levels, which are supported by budget planning."
He also described the current account surplus as favorable. "This allows us to focus financing demands on capital expenditures, since we are able to cover consumer spending financed by the State Budget with current revenues," he noted.
Regarding the provincial results, he considered that the local budgets of municipalities and provinces, at the end of August, showed a positive result. Five provinces, he noted, have continued to consolidate their surpluses: Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and Villa Clara.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to conduct a more in-depth analysis of "the work being done at the regional level, in order to advance the path toward achieving surpluses in our provinces and municipalities," based on increasing revenue, management, and compliance with key indicators.
A municipality, he stressed, will never fully develop if it does not achieve surplus status.
Closely linked to the execution of the State Budget, the Council of Ministers also learned about the results of the oversight actions carried out on that process by the Comptroller General's Office.
In this regard, Comptroller General Miriam Marbán González stated that the main actions were related to the use and allocation of current transfers approved for unbudgeted business activity.
Among other aspects, he emphasized the priority of continuing to work on systematic, efficient, and rigorous oversight at every level to prevent and oversee compliance with the established objectives. He also emphasized the urgent need to uphold the role of the contract; demand ethical conduct from managers and employees; strengthen accounting; achieve effective and conscious participation of labor groups in the management and oversight of their entities; and improve internal control systems.
A new portfolio of opportunities for Cuba
For the eleventh time since 2014, the Council of Ministers approved the country's Portfolio of Foreign Investment Opportunities. According to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, this document reflects the country's sovereign decision to increase the share of foreign direct investment as an important source of economic and social development.
According to him, the new Opportunities Portfolio is made up of 426 projects, represented in all territories of the country, 38 of which were presented by local governments. In this regard, he emphasized that differentiated work must be done to identify projects at the territorial level that leverage existing endogenous resources and are sufficiently attractive for investors.
The most represented sectors are oil, tourism, the sugar agroindustry, food production, the biopharmaceutical industry, general industry, and mining.
The Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment also presented the report on the economic impacts caused to the country by irregularities in foreign trade operations at the end of the first half of 2025, stating that systematic monitoring and control mechanisms must be strengthened to minimize the damage. Among other things, he noted that the largest amounts of the economic impacts identified during the period correspond to expenses due to delays in the clearance, extraction, and return of containers.
Other topics on the agenda
Other important issues in the nation's current economic and social landscape were also addressed by the highest government bodies during the day.
Specifically, regarding the status of accounts receivable and payable due at the end of the first half of 2025, the Minister of Finance and Prices assured that monthly monitoring has been maintained since the execution of the State Budget.
However, he asserted, problems persist in the management system, associated with, among other factors, the lack of reconciliation of defaults between the parties; the misuse of financial tools; and a lack of enforcement and oversight.
Likewise, as part of the meeting, compliance with preventive and protective measures for hazardous substances for the period January-August 2025 was updated. It was confirmed that the security and protection system for controlled hazardous substances in Cuba maintains broad and systematic coverage, with the capacity to identify vulnerabilities and implement measures.
Several draft decrees were evaluated during the day by members of the Council of Ministers, including the presidential decree "To regulate the process of planning work objectives and activities in the bodies and agencies of the Central State Administration, national entities, and local bodies of People's Power."
This document is based on Instruction No. 1 for the planning of activities, issued in September 2009 by Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, in his capacity as President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers. Subsequently, after nearly two years of implementation and based on the experience gained, it was updated in September 2011.
The Presidential Decree regulates the process of planning work objectives and activities, establishing how they should be developed and their annual clarification based on the National Economic and Social Development Plan to 2030 (PNDES 2030), the Government Program to correct distortions and relaunch the economy, and the possibility of using different management techniques.
Likewise, the highest government body approved four draft decrees: the Decree on Agricultural and Forestry Marketing, its Regulations, and the Resolution containing guidelines for the procurement of these products for 2026; the Regulations of the Decree-Law "On Customs"; the Regulations of Law 1089 "On Diplomatic Exemptions and Franchises"; and the Decree "National Celebration of Older Persons' Day."
In the final minutes of the meeting's agenda, the Ministry of Higher Education, headed by its head, Walter Baluja García, and the governor of Mayabeque, Manuel Aguiar Lamas, gave an account of their management.
Both exercises, which are standard practice within the highest governing body, were approved at the meeting with a focus on how, through the bodies, agencies of the Central State Administration, and all the country's institutions, both individually and collectively, each person and entity should contribute to the nation's economic and social development, at a time when Cuba requires the contributions of everyone.