MIAMI, United States. – The Cuban ruler, Miguel Díaz-Canel, recognized this Friday that 2024 has been “one of the most difficult years” for the Island, with “enormous efforts and insufficient results” in the face of the deep economic and energy crisis that the country is going through.
Diaz-Canel intervened this Friday in the last session of the fourth ordinary session of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP).
The president also highlighted that this situation represents his “main dissatisfaction” and subjected her to “deep and severe self-criticism.” As is his custom, he assured that the main cause of the deterioration is the “economic war” imposed by US sanctions.
He also warned that his Government has prepared for a second term of the donald trump: “We will remain alert, but without fear,” he stated. In addition, he said that Havana is willing to “dialogue and develop relations of respect on an equal footing” with Washington.
“We are aware of the possible implications associated with the coming to power in the United States of a new Government, in which politicians with very aggressive intentions against Cuba will have great influence. As we have said, it was a foreseeable scenario and we have been preparing ahead of time,” he assured.
When analyzing the complex financial reality, Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the country lives “practically day to day,” although he mentioned “positive signs” with a “limited impact.” He highlighted a slight increase in food production, described as a matter of “national security.”
At another time he admitted that the last months of 2024 have been “particularly complex” due to the impact of two hurricanes, two large earthquakes and three total blackouts of the national electrical system.
Cuba is currently suffering from shortages of food, medicine and fuel, prolonged blackouts, overwhelming inflation and an unprecedented wave of migration. The pandemic and a series of failed national policies have exacerbated the structural problems of the Cuban economy.
