The Cuban regime announced that it will prioritize revenue generation through tax collection as a central focus to support the state budget, in a context of declining productivity, financial constraints, and prolonged economic crisis.
During an intervention this Monday on the program Mesa Redonda, the Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, explained that the budget remains the primary tool of the State to manage the economy and ensure essential services, while reorganizing expenditure items in coordination with the regulatory agencies and local governments.
The official indicated that part of the funding will be redirected towards essential productive activities, particularly in the agricultural sector, through budgetary funds such as those allocated for agricultural development, with the aim of boosting local food production and reducing external dependence.
Regueiro stated that a significant increase in revenue is expected by 2026, which would support the level of social spending, and emphasized that 66 percent of the state's budget is concentrated in social areas such as education, health, social assistance, and social security.
In this last sector, he acknowledged that significant challenges remain, although he assured that the budget will allow for a partial increase in pensions, with an estimated impact of over 20 billion pesos in 2026, which, he stated, will ensure monthly payments to retirees.
However, the minister acknowledged that the current economic situation directly impacts the levels of national production, which necessitates a more stringent and meticulous approach to revenue collection, as the volume of resources will not be the same as in previous years.
In this context, he highlighted the national campaign for the declaration and payment of taxes, which involves taxpayers from both the state and non-state sectors, and called for greater discipline and punctuality in fulfilling tax obligations, presenting tax payments as a collective duty to support social expenditures.
Regueiro warned that the tax administration will apply administrative and institutional mechanisms with greater rigor to ensure tax collection, in response, he stated, to the public's demands for the need to improve fiscal discipline.
The minister added that the State will maintain tax benefits and fiscal waivers to encourage the importation of supplies and raw materials, as well as productive linkages, although he acknowledged that these mechanisms need to be communicated and implemented more effectively.
Finally, he emphasized that local governments have promoted investments in renewable energy sources with the participation of the non-state sector, also supported by tax benefits, as part of official efforts to alleviate the energy crisis and sustain the basic functioning of the economy.
The minister's statements sparked critical reactions on social media. User José Fernández commented that the state budget prioritizes repression and the maintenance of the political police over the actual needs of the population.
For her part, Demi Lobaina R Lobaina questioned the official discourse and pointed out that the announced reorganizations only benefit high-ranking leaders and their families, while the rest of the country continues to bear the burden of the crisis.
In another comment, he criticized the use of language that he described as unclear and filled with convoluted words.
Alejandro Pérez Guilarte stated that after more than six decades of government, the money stolen from the people explains the current situation, and he expressed skepticism regarding any promise of economic reorganization.
In a more ironic tone, Roberto López questioned the official rhetoric and wondered where the concrete results are for the population, referencing the lack of basic food items.
With this, the report becomes more complete, clearly contrasting the regime's discourse with the citizens' reaction, without over-editorializing or straying from your guidelines.
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