Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged that in Cuba there are workers in state enterprises who earn only between 3,000 and 4,000 pesos per month, while he urged executives to show greater efficiency, productivity, and commitment to the economic transformations promoted by his government.
The leader made the statements during a meeting with more than fifty businessmen who participated in a training exercise on the 176 economic and social measures approved by the Cuban authorities, as reported this Monday by Presidency Cuba.
In discussing the importance of involving employees in business decisions, Díaz-Canel emphasized the continued presence of workers in state entities despite their low wages.
Díaz-Canel cited workers who, despite earning only 3,000 or 4,000 pesos, remain in their factories and businesses as an example. According to information published by the Presidency, the leader attributed this commitment to the employees' sense of belonging.
He attributed that permanence to the sense of belonging among the workers and urged the executives to listen to their proposals and allow them to participate in the decisions of each entity.
"Give them a voice, don't decide anything without consulting the workers," he demanded.
The figure mentioned by Díaz-Canel is particularly revealing in light of the cost of living in Cuba. According to official data published in August, the average monthly salary was 7,354 pesos, while a carton of 30 eggs could cost around 3,800 pesos in private establishments in Havana. This means that a worker earning 4,000 pesos would have to allocate almost their entire monthly income to purchase that single product.
More autonomy, but without privatizing state-owned enterprises
Díaz-Canel defended the new powers approved for state-owned enterprises, including greater autonomy to manage resources, set salaries, import and export without intermediaries, and manage fuel. However, he insisted that this independence must translate into concrete economic results.
"This autonomy is not a blank check," he stated.
The official insisted that the business transformations will not involve the privatization of state entities.
"We will always protect the state-owned company from privatization," he assured.
According to what was explained, the objective is to attract capital, make use of underutilized productive capacities, and separate ownership from management, while maintaining state control over the companies.
Although he advocated for greater autonomy for state-owned enterprises, Díaz-Canel made it clear that their leaders must maintain political subordination. "You are cadres of the Revolution, you are cadres of the Party," he reminded them, insisting that economic transformations must be implemented without abandoning the principles of the socialist model.
Recognizes inefficiency and management issues
During his speech, Díaz-Canel urged the fight against bureaucracy, economic losses, the misuse of resources, absenteeism, and corruption.
He also questioned the executives who attribute their companies' problems solely to external factors, without examining internal shortcomings.
The leader rejected what he called "complaint-driven management," a practice that, as he explained, involves attributing difficulties to the macroeconomic situation or the U.S. embargo without assessing business management.
He also requested to avoid setting prices solely based on production costs, as these may conceal inefficiencies that ultimately fall on consumers.
The ruler's criticisms contrast with the results of the state business system itself. Between January and July 2026, a total of 348 state-owned companies reported losses, according to figures examined by economist Elías Amor. The specialist also questioned the dependency of executives on the decisions of their superiors, a centralized structure that precisely limits the autonomy that Díaz-Canel is now advocating.
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