The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced this Friday that Mexican entrepreneurs interested in investing in Cuba will have the support of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations to establish institutional contacts with the island, as she stated during her morning press conference at Palacio Nacional.
The statements come a day after the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba approved a package of 176 economic and social transformations presented by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and supported by President Miguel Díaz-Canel.
Sheinbaum described the reforms as "an important change" and emphasized that the initiative for investment falls on the private sector, not on the Mexican government: "It should be Mexican entrepreneurs," she stated.
The official emphasized that the measures approved by the Cuban regime include a call for those who left the island to participate in its economy: "They are doing it for investment, even urging Cubans who left the island a long time ago to invest in Cuba," she noted.
For those looking to explore business opportunities on the island, Sheinbaum pointed out a specific avenue: "Mexican businesswomen and businessmen who decide to invest in Cuba can also reach out to the Foreign Ministry if they want to establish any special contact."
The president also called for recognizing the significance of the changes: "It is important to acknowledge what the government of Cuba is doing alongside its people," she stated, in a supportive tone that reflects the close diplomatic relationship Mexico maintains with Havana under her administration.
The reform package approved on Thursday by the Cuban Parliament is regarded as the most significant attempt at structural change in decades.
Among its most significant measures is the authorization of direct foreign investment in private companies and cooperatives, something that was previously prohibited; the establishment of private banking for the first time in decades; the elimination of the obligation to hire workers through state entities; and the extension of surface rights up to 99 years.
The Cuban authorities presented the measures as an urgent response to a deep economic crisis. The CEPAL projects a 6.5% decline in the Cuban GDP for 2026 and a cumulative contraction of 10.3% in the two-year period of 2025-2026, amidst a context of chronic blackouts, widespread shortages, and inflation.
Díaz-Canel, for his part, rejected that the reforms respond to external pressure and assured that "Cuba decides with no permission other than that of its people," although analysts and international media point out that the urgency of the package reflects the worsening of the internal situation.
The legislative process was unusually swift: from the announcement on June 12 to parliamentary ratification, less than a week passed, with an extraordinary session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in between, highlighting the pressure the regime faces to deliver results to a population on the brink.
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