The Cuban architect Edelberto 'Bertín' Díaz, residing in Panama, argues that the central question for the reconstruction of Cuba is not whether the country has materials, labor, or industry, but whether there will be money available to initiate that process. He stated this in an interview with CiberCuba regarding the urban future of the island and the fate of its cities.

"The point is whether there are tickets or not," summarizes Díaz emphatically. He goes further: "The world doesn't move by rotation and translation. The world moves by dollars. Is there a dollar? That's where people are going. There's no dollar, brother, I love you, but stay over there."

To illustrate his argument, the architect draws on his personal experience in Panama. According to his testimony, he arrived in the country in 2000, just after the United States handed over the Canal. He describes a city filled with "For Sale" signs and an atmosphere of widespread stagnation.

Everything changed when the public consultation on the expansion of the Canal, approved in 2006, with an estimated investment of 5.25 billion dollars, was promoted: "All kinds of people started to arrive," he recalls. "Hey, when the starting gun goes off, all sorts of individuals start to show up."

In his opinion, the parallel with Cuba is direct: "If at a certain moment people sense, the big companies sense that there will be money to build roads in Cuba... The issue of asphalt is the least of it. Soon, those who will set up the asphalt factory will appear," he said.

The debate regarding the financing of a potential reconstruction has specific figures on the table. Cuban-American businessman Carlos Saladrigas estimated in March 2026 that rebuilding Cuba would cost between 6 billion and 10 billion dollars just in the first phase of stabilization, and that attracting this investment would require legal security, a free market, and democratic openness—conditions that, as experts point out, Cuba does not currently provide and that deter any serious capital.

Are there materials to rebuild the country?

Regarding the availability of materials on the island, Bertín Díaz takes an optimistic yet realistic stance. He acknowledges that Cuba has quarries to extract stone and installed capacity to produce blocks and steel—mentioning "La Antillana de Acero" as an example—although he admits that equipment such as crushing cylinders may be lacking.

"You have quarries to extract stones. I mean, it exists. Oh, maybe you don't have the machinery to grind them," he says. His argument is that these shortcomings are secondary because when money comes in, those who bring the technology also show up. "That's how the world works. I mean, this shouldn't be a cause for concern."

This vision contrasts with the current reality. The housing crisis in Cuba is deepening with no signs of improvement: in 2024, 5.5 times fewer homes were built than in 1984, cement production is operating at 10% of its capacity, and 35% of the housing stock is in fair or poor condition. The government itself acknowledged failing to meet its construction plans due to a lack of cement and steel.

In this interview with CiberCuba, Bertín Díaz also addresses environmental policies as a prerequisite, not optional, for any serious reconstruction. "Regarding the environmental issue, it's not because we want to seek investment from Europe; I believe it should be a requirement," he states. He also describes it as "absurd" that Cuba discharges sewage water directly into the coast without prior treatment and calls for control over chemical pollutants, management of mining activities, and clear policies on the vehicle fleet.

All of this, he says, reflects a vision for the country: "There is no other vision for the country than one of service. If you want to give, first and foremost, a good quality of life to your population and then to those who visit you."