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The U.S. Department of State rejected the 176 economic measures approved by the Cuban regime on Friday, labeling them as “superficial smoke signals” that do not signify a real change in the political model of the island.
A spokesperson for the organization stated to the AFP agency that "these gradual 'economic reforms' are modest, arrive very late, and ultimately are superficial smoke signals from the Cuban regime," several media outlets reported.
Washington described the maneuver as a "typical strategy" to "create the illusion of a commitment to change, only to quickly reverse it when the regime's complete control is threatened."
The government of Donald Trump demands "much more substantial economic and political reforms" that would make Cuba an attractive destination for investors and provide the Cuban people "the freedom, dignity, and opportunities they deserve," the sources indicated.
The National Assembly of People's Power approved on Thursday a package of 176 measures organized into 23 strategic axes that its proponents present as the most profound transformation of the Cuban economic model since the adoption of communism nearly 70 years ago.
Among the provisions are the opening up to private banking, the conversion of state-owned enterprises into commercial companies, the removal of the cap of 100 employees for small and medium-sized enterprises, the possibility of importing and exporting without state intermediaries, and permits for fast food chains.
Despite the formal scope of the package, President Miguel Díaz-Canel made it clear that Cuba is not renouncing socialism with these measures, in direct response to Washington's demands for a system change.
The Cuban-American political scientist Luis Carlos Battista acknowledged to The Associated Press that "elements that for decades were listed as pillars of the revolutionary economy, such as the state monopoly on foreign trade and the centralization of productive forces, have been dismantled," although he warned of "numerous difficulties" in implementation, including a "slow and inefficient" bureaucracy.
The researcher Lee Schlenker, from the Quincy Institute in Washington, stated that the reforms "will only have a real effect if they are complemented by the gradual lifting of U.S. prohibitions and sanctions," referring to those that penalize the partners of the state conglomerate GAESA.
The professor Paolo Spadoni from Augusta University in Georgia warned that time is running out: "If Cuban leaders hope to survive this unprecedented crisis and U.S. pressure, they need to act quickly to implement reforms and achieve tangible results."
The population received the announcement with mixed feelings. While a 63-year-old private business employee stated, "with these measures, there will be an improvement," a 65-year-old fisherman warned, "now we're left unprotected, the government doesn't safeguard us." On social media, skepticism prevailed, with phrases like "the same dog with a different collar," and pot-banging protests were reported in Santiago de Cuba, Santa Clara, and Havana during the plenary session.
The Cuban crisis has persisted since 2021 and worsened in 2026 with the blockade imposed by the Trump administration, which since January has accumulated more than 240 sanctions and reduced the island's energy imports by between 80% and 90%. Blackouts last up to between 20 and 40 hours daily. "I leave for work in the dark and come back home in the dark," summarized Juana Pérez, a 54-year-old vendor.
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