Cuba leader admits 'urgent changes' needed to overcome crisis

Lead

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel has made his frankest admission yet of the need for radical reforms to the country's communist model, telling the Communist Party's politburo that "the situation calls for urgent and necessary changes." The remarks, broadcast on Thursday, come as the island grapples with a major economic crisis intensified by a US oil blockade.

Coverage comparison

Both The Guardian and The Hindu reported Díaz-Canel's speech, emphasizing the severity of the crisis and the president's acknowledgment that not all problems stem from external factors. The Guardian highlighted the "moribund" state of the economy and the "brink of collapse," while The Hindu described the reforms as a "desperate, eleventh-hour bid" to stave off economic collapse. Both outlets quoted Díaz-Canel's references to China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba's economy.

The Hindu also included reactions from disillusioned Cubans and private businesses, a perspective that The Guardian's extract did not include. Both reports noted the backing of former president Raul Castro, though only The Hindu provided his full quote.

Key claims

Díaz-Canel cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba's economy to the world, aiming to "create economic wealth and distribute it equally." He stressed that some reforms "will not have absolute consensus but cannot be postponed," arguing that when "people's lives become this hard," the Communist Party and government have a responsibility to "change what needs to be changed" rather than explain away the crisis.

The US oil blockade, imposed by President Donald Trump in January, has contributed to power cuts sometimes lasting over 30 hours and shortages of food, fuel, drinking water, and medicine, according to both reports. While Havana has traditionally blamed its woes on a more-than-six-decade US trade embargo, Díaz-Canel acknowledged "obstacles that don't come from outside, nor the blockade," citing "slowness, bureaucracy and norms that impede those who want to produce" as well as "decisions that we have put off."

The reforms, aimed at boosting the private sector and attracting capital from Cubans abroad, have won the backing of Raul Castro, who described the proposals as "the most beneficial to the revolution at this time," as reported by The Hindu. The Guardian also noted Castro's support but did not quote him directly.

The reforms were approved by the Communist Party and are expected to be approved by the National Assembly, according to The Hindu. Private businesses, which can employ up to 100 people, were authorized in 2021 and have become increasingly important to the island's economy, the same report noted.

Perspectives

President Miguel Díaz-Canel (Government of Cuba): Díaz-Canel acknowledged the need for urgent changes, admitting that internal obstacles such as bureaucracy and slow decision-making have contributed to the crisis, alongside the US blockade. He cited China and Vietnam as models for economic opening.

Raul Castro (Former President of Cuba): Castro backed the reform proposals as "the most beneficial to the revolution at this time," signaling support from influential party figures.

Disillusioned Cubans and private businesses: Some Cubans have shrugged off the announcements as either too little too late or an outright "lie," according to The Hindu's reporting, reflecting skepticism about the government's ability to deliver meaningful change.