The Cuban government is seeking Minsk engines in Belarus

The Cuban government is trying to obtain Minsk engines from Belarus, a key military and economic ally of the regime.

According to the state news agency of Belarus (BelTA), the general director of the Minsk Motor Plant (registered trademark MMZ), Aleksandr Botvinnik, met with the Cuban ambassador to Belarus, Santiago Pérez Benítez.

The businessman informed the Cuban diplomat about the production line of the plant: diesel engines of various power levels and special machinery.

For his part, Pérez Benítez paid special attention to the factory's capabilities and to other products that are part of the holding, such as pumping stations and irrigation machines for agriculture.

The Cuban official did not clarify how Havana would pay for those engines; he only stated that the cooperation between the two countries has "strategic importance."

"The Belarusian technologies and best practices in the manufacturing industry can significantly enhance the efficiency of the Cuban agricultural sector," noted the Cuban ambassador.

In Cuba, Minsk motorcycles are very popular, having started production after World War II.

In 2018, the MMZ engine plant agreed to expand its collaboration with the Island by sending a batch of 84 D-242-71M engines. A delegation from the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture visited the factory to acquire engines and parts for the repair of tractors, trucks, and agricultural machinery.

The then director of the industry noted that they were also willing to send specialists to Cuba to teach the installation of the engines and the adjustment of all technical processes.

In July, it was announced that the Cuban government would pay for a batch of tractors from the Belarusian capital with rum and coffee.

Both countries had approved a mutual trade plan for the next two years, with an expected exchange of 6.8 million dollars in exports from each side; however, trade cannot proceed in cash due to the lack of funds in the coffers of the Caribbean island.

Traditionally, Belarus has exchanged tractors for Cuban medicines, but the supply of tractors exceeds the demand for medicines in that country, which offers "flexible" payment methods to its cash-strapped partners. In this case, they proposed to expand the list of products for barter transactions to include rum, cocoa, coffee, and fruit puree, among others.

Last year, Havana expressed interest in purchasing Belarusian weapons, particularly missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers.

According to the EFE agency, during a meeting in Havana between representatives of the Armed Forces of both nations, an important military cooperation plan was agreed upon.

Frequently asked questions about cooperation between Cuba and Belarus in the import of Minsk engines