Havana Cuba. – I am happy!, Miguel Díaz-Canel never tires of repeating after his journey through Algeria, Russia, Turkey and especially China. All the hosts, he says, expressed their appreciation to the heroic people of Cuba. Meanwhile, the ruler does not miss the opportunity to demand more “creative resistance” from the people, in the midst of the serious food shortage and the prolonged blackouts, unknown in Cubanacán, the residential area where the main socialist leaders enjoy the mansions of the dispossessed owners capitalists.
Díaz-Canel had announced the search for solutions to the electric energy crisis and the debt as the main objectives of his trip to Africa and Asia. In Algeria he got oil and a photovoltaic plant. In Russia he exhibited his friendship with Putin and pledged the international credibility of the Cuban government by justify the invasion of Ukraine one more time.
In Turkey, a NATO member, he sought his support for the powerful and ruthless Erdogan. She also tried to increase economic and commercial ties between the two countries, support the payment of the seven maritime platforms for the production of electricity and seduce more than 40 businessmen to invest in Cuba. Although Minister Rodrigo Malmierca insisted on agricultural projects and wholesale and retail trade, there seemed to be more interest in tourism, pharmaceutical scientific development and new ventures from the company that owns the platforms.
Díaz-Canel returned from China with the signing of 12 documents, including a plan for political consultations between MINREX and its Chinese counterpart, an agreement between the Communist Party of Cuba and the Communist Party of China, memorandums of understanding for the implementation of the cooperation plan for the joint production of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the strengthening of economic and commercial cooperation, among others.
The debt solution is complex for the powerful Xi Jinping, who promotes the independence and wealth creation of state and private companies. For the Cubans, it was incomprehensible that the Chinese leaders contributed to increase their hardships. The secrecy imposed by the Cuban authorities was only broken by isolated excuses from national businessmen for not producing basic necessities due to the lack of Chinese raw materials or the interruption of a project, reported on television.
However, the trial in the London Court of Justice for claims by the large Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, scheduled for January 2023, was only known by the foreign media. Díaz-Canel must have urged the Chinese dignitary to achieve his suspension, as it would be a strong blow to the prestige of Raúl Castro, committed since 2008 to honor all debts to obtain new credits, after eliminating Fidel Castro’s pretexts for not paying from 1986.
It is not remembered that China restructured the Cuban debt amounting to some 4 billion dollars in 2010 with payments starting in 2015. At that time, Raúl Castro had announced changes in the management of the chaotic Cuban economy. Chinese experts came to offer their experiences with Deng Tsiao Ping’s reform, mainly unproductive agriculture, and began the modernization of the railway. Now Cubans are wondering if Raúl Castro participated by videoconference in the private conversation with Xi Jinping to support Díaz-Canel before the Chinese president and the leaders of the Communist Party of Cuba and the Armed Forces. The Army general reappeared martial and quick with apparent good health for his age in the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba for the anniversary of the death of his brother and the transfer of the remains of Armando Hart, and in the vote of delegates of Power Popular on November 27, possibly energized by the Chinese doctor’s promised remedies.
Díaz-Canel has been very enthusiastic in declaring that there is “enormous sensitivity in the Chinese leadership, particularly in President Xi Jinping, and the will to find solutions to all problems, regardless of the debt problem, and that this is not It may be the reason that limits development.”
“Also, the [Xi Jinping] encourages a different treatment for a group of paralyzed projects with a high percentage of execution, and that there is understanding so that a group of requests, we make them official, and we propose what we need to seek help and continue a group of investments in Cuba. That’s exciting,” according to said the Cuban ruler.
However, Xi has already shown that he is not willing to be the island’s new patron if the Cuban government continues with its inefficiency, clinging to not undertaking the reforms that will liberate the productive forces and without assuming the forms of property of the 21st century.
OPINION ARTICLE
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