Once again, the Cuban regime staged its usual bureaucratic theater, disguised as an economic analysis, without addressing the structural problems that have driven the country into a state of ongoing crisis.
In the recent annual meeting of the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP), Miguel Díaz-Canel and his ruling circle delivered a speech filled with euphemisms, hollow promises, and a persistent appeal to external factors such as "economic war," "climatic phenomena," and the "global multidimensional crisis" to justify the internal disaster.
A ministry transformed into a echo chamber of failure
In the meeting, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquín Alonso, presented the poor results of the sector during 2024, but he did not dare to point out the root of the problem: the centralized economic model, which is ineffective and unviable, that the regime refuses to reform.
In his remarks, captured in a report from the National Television News (NTV), Díaz-Canel emphasized "digital transformation" as a cure-all for optimizing processes, without explaining how a country with constant blackouts, lacking access to modern technology and financing, could achieve such a revolution.
"We need to implement innovation in structures, operations, organization, processes, and research for the more complex issues facing our economy... And there is a challenging task that, in my view, should be led by the ministry, which is also to find more sources of financing for the development of science and innovation in the country," said the leader in a vague and deflated manner.
He also stated that the MEP must "promote science and innovation," which sounds ironic in a country where the academic sector suffers from censorship, massive emigration, and lacks basic resources.
"Because it's not just a matter of will; science and innovation also require resources. But what could be better than a Ministry of Economy and Planning as the command center of the economy, which has embraced as a shared value the necessity of science and innovation, not only for the Ministry but for the country? One of the fundamental issues for enhancing science and innovation is the pursuit of funding for science," added the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.
In the same tone of self-satisfaction, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz spoke about "correcting distortions" and "strengthening ideological work," confirming that the priority remains political loyalty over economic efficiency. Thus his well-known preference for discussing "softness" and "strong-handedness".
"Wartime Economy": Euphemism to disguise disaster
One of the central points of the meeting was the adoption of the concept of "war economy" as the core of the planning for 2025.
This narrative aims to impose the idea that Cuba is under constant siege, thus justifying the shortage of food, the collapse of public transport, and the deterioration of basic services. However, what is truly hidden behind this discourse is the total inability of the government to implement effective policies that would reactivate national production and curb the rampant inflation.
Marrero Cruz himself has repeated on several occasions that "we must do things differently", but concrete solutions are notably absent. The dismissal of Alejandro Gil Fernández as Minister of Economy did not bring structural changes; rather, it served as a scapegoat to cover up the stagnation of the model.
A plan without real solutions
Among the "projections" for 2025 presented by Minister Alonso are the "implementation of the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030," "improving annual planning," and "strengthening the oversight of investment execution."
However, at no point was there any mention of removing obstacles for the private sector, opening up the domestic market, or implementing a tax reform that would encourage productivity.
The official speech also referred to the "transformation of the Socialist State Enterprise," an ambiguous concept that, in practice, has only served to justify the perpetuation of an ineffective and corrupt business structure that serves only the interests of the ruling elite.
Meanwhile, Cuban workers continue to earn wages that do not cover their basic needs, and the cost of living keeps rising due to inflation that the State is unable to control, coupled with the recent "partial dollarization of the economy," a currency exchange plan that accentuates inequalities and injustices in the country.
Ideological propaganda disguised as economic thought
It is concerning how the government continues to prioritize ideological indoctrination over genuine economic solutions.
Marrero made it clear that "consolidating unity" and "strengthening ideological political work" are fundamental parts of the government plan for 2025, which confirms that the regime's main concern is not the economy, but maintaining control over the population.
Repeatedly, Díaz-Canel has insisted that the solution lies in "socialism", ignoring that international reports have classified Cuba as one of the countries with the worst economic freedom in the world.
While Cuban officials meet in air-conditioned rooms to repeat the same empty slogans as always, the people confront the harsh reality of shortages, power outages, and a lack of opportunities.
The government's recipes remain the same: grandiloquent speeches, tired excuses, and unfulfilled promises. The Cuban economy does not need more "centralized planning" or "correction of distortions", but a true opening that allows Cubans to take control of their future without the interference of an ineffective and repressive state.
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