Cuba’s National Assembly has passed a comprehensive 176-point plan to open up the economy. This reform represents the biggest economic overhaul of the socialist Caribbean state in decades. Miguel Díaz-Canel said after the vote that Cuba is currently experiencing the most difficult hours of this century and that the government bears a historic responsibility to save the country.
The reform aims to reduce state regulations and introduce market mechanisms. Manuel Marrero Cruz stressed that the reforms do not mean abandoning socialism but are a prerequisite for its preservation.
Cuba’s embassy in Washington described the reform package as the most extensive since the 1990s. The population has been suffering for years from a severe economic and energy crisis, exacerbated by US sanctions. Díaz-Canel stated that Cuba remains ready for talks with the US, but the reforms are a national decision.
Source: Stadt München
