Cuba: the new power condemned to economic reforms
In addition to this political and symbolic evolution, the congress will have to provide answers to the worst economic crisis in 30 years in Cuba.
REUTERS - ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
A page is turning in Cuba where new leaders should succeed the Castro siblings at the end of the 8th Congress of the Communist Party which is being held until Monday, April 19.
He should indeed induct President Miguel Diaz-Canel to take over from Raúl Castro.
In addition to this political and symbolic development, the congress will have to provide answers to the worst economic crisis in 30 years.
An emergency which calls for reforms, remains to be seen which ones in a State which is liberalizing very slowly.
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This 8th single party congress opens in a context of economic crisis in Cuba: the island imports 80% of its needs.
For years, shortages have become the daily lot of the population.
The strengthening of the embargo by the Trump administration has a lot to do with it.
But the authorities recognize it publicly: excess bureaucracy, corruption and mediocrity are also involved.
To give more production capacity, more jobs to the population and less dependence on imports, the government has liberalized most sectors, even more since the election of Miguel Diaz Canel.
But since the outbreak of the pandemic, the service sectors that have benefited from it, such as tourism, have been on the ground.
The agricultural reforms have not made it possible to improve the lot of Cubans who cultivate the land nor to increase production sufficiently.
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To read also:
Cubans, resigned, expect nothing from the 8th Congress of the Communist Party
The Cuban regime is between a rock and a hard place.
It is forced to open up, to carry out new reforms to liberalize the economy, but without taking the risk of losing control.
Some 300 provincial delegates gathered in Havana to discuss it.
Sensitive sectors such as the press, defense or health remain red lines, ruled Raul Castro last Friday.
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To read also: Cuba: Raul Castro retires, the end of an era but not the end of a system
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Cuba
Raul Castro
Economy