President announces 176 economic reforms as socialist overhaul
One fuel tanker in seven months and 176 reform measures
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Thursday told the closing session of the National Assembly that U.S. sanctions have produced prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, and disruptions across agriculture, tourism, healthcare, and water supplies. He said Cuba received only one fuel tanker in the past seven months, a shortfall that left roughly 1,400 megawatts of distributed power generation unavailable each day.
Díaz-Canel described the situation as an “energy blockade” by Washington. He accused the current U.S. administration of reviving elements of German fascism through policies of economic coercion and collective punishment. He described Cuba as “a fortress under siege” and said Washington is pressuring third countries and foreign companies to avoid doing business with Cuba in order to trigger social unrest and overthrow the country’s socialist government.
The president announced 176 economic and social transformation measures, of which 120, he said, are ready to be implemented. The reforms are designed to expand productive capacity, encourage investment, strengthen state-owned, private and cooperative businesses, increase exports, attract foreign currency, and grant municipalities and state enterprises greater economic autonomy.
Díaz-Canel acknowledged public concerns over growing private wealth, income inequality, and the expansion of private businesses, but insisted the reforms do not represent a shift away from socialism. “The transformations we are implementing are not for more capitalism, but to defend and advance the construction of socialism,” he said. He stressed that the reforms “are not being adopted to please the United States” nor as the result of bilateral talks with Washington, calling them a sovereign decision by the Cuban government. He pledged there would be no privatization of healthcare, education, science, culture, or other strategic public services.
Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, in a separate address before lawmakers, accused the United States of undermining international law through unilateral sanctions, economic coercion, and military threats. He said Washington is attempting to isolate Cuba from the global economy by cutting off its access to fuel, technology, and financing, while promoting what he described as a doctrine of “peace through strength.” Rodríguez reiterated Havana’s willingness to maintain dialogue with the United States, provided Cuba’s sovereignty is respected, and thanked governments, international organizations, and solidarity groups that continue to oppose the U.S. embargo.
Díaz-Canel closed his speech by paying tribute to late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and repeating the slogans “Socialism or Death” and “Homeland or Death, We Will Prevail.”