Cuban exiles have already committed 35 billion dollars in investments for the first year following a democratic transition in Cuba, according to consultant Roberto Fernández-Rizo in an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba. The figure, attributed to statements from Jorge Massandro, described as one of the richest men in the Cuban exile, also includes a humanitarian program that, according to Fernández-Rizo, would be enough to eliminate hunger on the island within three months.
"There are already statements, there are two statements from Jorge Massandro. Among the wealthiest in the Cuban exile community, they have already allocated their fortunes for the first year: 35 billion in investments and a humanitarian program. Listen, hunger in Cuba will be eradicated in three months. Three months," the interviewee asserted.
However, that capital comes with an unmovable condition: investors demand legal certainty, a genuine transition to democracy, announced elections, and a transparent legal framework that protects their rights.
"They said: we meet to establish it, but legal security, changes, a transition to democracy, announced elections, meaning with all the rights that an investor needs, and all the justice, all clear, very clear there," Fernández-Rizo specified.
The contrast with the regime's stance is striking. Fernández-Rizo recalled that the Cuban regime already attempted to attract capital from the diaspora by inviting emigrants to invest, but virtually no one responded to the call. “The first measure they put on the table, the Cuban regime, was to invite the diaspora to invest. How many people have gone to invest?” he pointed out.
In April 2026, the Council of State approved a Decree-Law regarding the migration status of emigrated investors, but analysts point out that the lack of real legal security remains the main obstacle to any flow of capital towards the island.
To illustrate the scope of the 35 billion, Fernández-Rizo referred to data from expert Jorge Piñón of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas, who estimated that repairing Cuba's thermoelectric plants would require about 10 billion dollars and that the process could not be completed in less than a year.
"If they are going to invest 35 billion, we have thermoelectric plants ready in real time," argued Fernández-Rizo, emphasizing that the committed capital would triple what is necessary just to resolve the electricity crisis.
In May 2026, the electricity generation deficit in Cuba reached 2,174 MW during peak hours, with an offering of only 976 MW against a demand of 3,150 MW, according to data from Infobae.
Beyond the infrastructure, the interviewee mentioned the idea of establishing an initial capital fund "like that of Norway" to finance social investments with the profits and taxes generated after the transition.
"We are going to invest, and there are 35 billion dollars. That's a substantial amount. There are countries that do not have that budget," summarized Fernández-Rizo, who insisted that the problem in Cuba is not fundamentally economic: "In other words, I'm not concerned about the economic issue. It's a political and ideological problem."
This figure is part of a broader debate on the financing of a post-regime Cuba. Jorge Mas Santos, president of the Cuban American National Foundation, estimated in May 2026 that the reconstruction of the country could require between 40 billion and 80 billion dollars, coming from the exile community and international funds, also conditioned on a legal framework that protects investment.
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