The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz stated this Wednesday before the National Assembly of People's Power that the prolonged blackouts continue to be the main problem facing Cuba, during a session convened to assess the progress of the "economic transformations" approved by the regime just six weeks ago.
Marrero appeared before the lawmakers to present a report on the package of reforms approved in the extraordinary session on June 18, and acknowledged that the electrical crisis has not been resolved despite the measures taken.
In terms of energy, the head of government reported that 1,464 MW from renewable sources have been installed, accounting for 13.8% of the national electricity generation, and that 4,292 photovoltaic systems have been placed in vital centers and homes.
Additionally, he specified that more than 11,000 solar systems were allocated to homes of individuals with chronic illnesses, doctors, teachers, and scientists, and that regulations for the importation and commercialization of fuels by foreign companies were relaxed.
The Prime Minister's admission comes amid a sustained collapse: the National Electroenergetic System has experienced five total blackouts so far in 2026 and recorded a record deficit of 2,341 MW on July 8, when generation availability barely reached 1,000 MW against a demand of 3,100 MW.
In Havana, power cuts averaged 15 hours a day, while in Matanzas, interruptions were reported for up to 87 consecutive hours.
Regarding the overall progress of the reforms, Marrero noted that out of the 121 transformations scheduled for June and July, 110 had already been approved, representing 90.9% of the total planned, while another five were progressing partially.
Among the most significant changes was the approval of the decree law regulating the socialist state enterprise, which grants entities the autonomy to establish their own salary systems, engage in any lawful activities, and make decisions regarding labor relations.
He described this regulation as "the most important transformation in the organization of work and wages implemented in recent years."
The regime also announced that the country now exceeds 15,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes) and non-agricultural cooperatives, following the approval of all those that were pending authorization.
The Decree 160, which eliminates 46 prohibitions for the non-state sector and modifies another 36, came into effect this Tuesday.
In the social realm, Marrero reported that the profiling of vulnerable individuals in provinces and municipalities identified over 876,000 people in vulnerable situations, and announced the launch of a digital social assistance process through the Soberanía platform.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that reductions of more than 92,000 positions in the ministries of Public Health, Education, Culture, and Sports were approved, focusing on vacant administrative posts, and that the remaining agencies will complete this process in September.
The process of transformations, Marrero acknowledged, was designed based on guidelines from Raúl Castro, agreements from the Central Committee of the Party, and 165 out of the 171 proposals made by the parliamentarians themselves, which reveals that strategic decisions remain concentrated in the upper echelons of power.
In closing his remarks, the head of Government warned that the immediate challenge is not to approve more measures but to ensure their effective implementation. "The implementation of the reforms is entering its most important and difficult stage," he stated.
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