Miguel Díaz-Canel defended on Thursday the extensive package of economic reforms approved by the National Assembly of People's Power and rejected the notion that the changes are a response to pressure from the United States, despite occurring during the worst economic crisis Cuba has faced in decades.
"No, we are not doing this due to pressures from the Yankees," the leader stated during his address to the deputies gathered in Havana to support the 176 measures for economic and social transformation presented by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.
Díaz-Canel insisted that the reforms are a response to an internal reflection of the regime regarding the need to modify aspects of the economic model without abandoning the current political system.
"We are doing this in a sovereign manner, because we have reached a moment of maturity, of reflection typical of the debate that has taken place over the years, which is telling us that we need to continue defending socialism, but building it with some transformations," he stated.
The official maintained that the changes would have been necessary even if Cuba were facing a more favorable economic scenario.
"If we had a less unfavorable situation than the one we have, we would still need to undergo transformations. We would be in a more comfortable environment to implement these changes," he assured.
The statements come after the regime approved one of the broadest reform packages in recent years. Among the measures are the authorization of private banking, the establishment of private exchange houses, the removal of the limit of 100 employees for small and medium-sized enterprises, the possibility for a single person to own multiple companies, and a greater openness to private and foreign investment.
It is also anticipated to eliminate the mandatory intermediation of the State in certain import and export operations, allow the participation of Cubans residing abroad in new economic projects, and gradually reduce the system of universal subsidies.
During his speech, Díaz-Canel also made some of the most direct self-criticisms voiced by a Cuban leader in recent years by acknowledging that part of the crisis is due to internal issues.
"What depends on us, we must change ourselves, and we must change it now," he stated.
The ruler acknowledged that there are obstacles that cannot be attributed to external factors.
"There are obstacles that do not come from outside or from the blockade," he noted, mentioning bureaucracy, administrative slowness, and decisions that, he said, have been postponed for too long.
It also acknowledged the failure of some policies recently implemented by the government itself, including price controls, whose effectiveness was questioned during the debates leading up to the reforms.
The approval process for the measures advanced rapidly. Díaz-Canel publicly announced them on June 12; five days later, they received the backing of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in an extraordinary plenary meeting that Raúl Castro attended; and this Thursday, they were debated and approved in the National Assembly.
Reforms arrive in a context marked by a deep economic crisis. Various international organizations project a new contraction of the Gross Domestic Product for 2026, while the country faces prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, persistent inflation, and difficulties in ensuring basic goods.
Independent analysts have reacted cautiously to the announcements. Economist Pedro Monreal described the process as a case of "late pragmatism" and noted that many of the measures come after years of economic deterioration. Meanwhile, economist Elías Amor questioned that the package does not include clear solutions for issues such as inflation and the fiscal deficit.
Aware of the doubts that the reforms have generated, Díaz-Canel warned that the main challenge will not be to approve them, but to implement them.
"Equally or even more important than the approval of these transformations is their proper and timely implementation," he stated.
The phrase summarizes one of the greatest questions surrounding the new economic package: whether the announced measures will result in real changes for a population facing one of the most challenging periods in Cuba's recent history.
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