Argentina and Cuba sign letter of intent on COVID vaccine production

Photo by Markus Spiske Argentina’s Health Minister, Carla Vizzotti, and her Cuban counterpart, Dr José Angel Portal, have signed a letter of intent that is expected to see the two countries collaborate in the production of Cuban vaccines developed against COVID-19. The letter specifies that the collaboration relates to ‘the immunisation of the population of Cuba […]

Cuba hopes to restore economy to pre-pandemic levels by start of 2023

Photo by Jeremy Zero Cuba’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Deputy Prime Minister Alejandro Gil, has said that despite the pandemic and the tightening of the US embargo he believes that the Cuban economy can return in 2023 to the same level of GDP recorded in 2019. Explaining this to the media during a review of […]

Decree law confirms primacy of Cuba’s state enterprise sector

Photo by Florian Wehde Cuba has confirmed in a decree law that socialist state enterprises will remain the principal economic entities in the Cuban economy, play the main strategic role in the production of goods and services, but in future have autonomy in administration and management. This new decree law contains 15 measures that make up […]

Seventy per cent of Cubans to receive vaccine by August

Photo by The Associated Press Cuba has said that it expects to have vaccinated 70% of all its citizens by August using its nationally developed Abdala and Soberana 02 vaccines. In the meantime, it is to begin an intervention study which will see it administer the two candidate vaccines on an emergency basis in provinces […]

Pandemic showing little sign of abating in Havana

Photo by Adam Nieścioruk  President Díaz-Canel has said that that the transmission and lethality of COVID-19 is increasing and above all is concentrated in Havana. He was speaking at a 28 April meeting of the high-level working group on the pandemic that had been told that 18 people had died in a single day of COVID-19; […]

Continuity and modernisation, themes of eighth Communist Party Congress

Photo by Abrajam Escalante  Generational change, continuity, and modernisation of the Cuban Communist Party so that it is better equipped to lead in a rapidly changing world, were the main themes of the eighth Party Congress which ended on 19 April. As expected, the fourday event saw the remaining members of Cuba’s historic leadership stand down, […]

Raúl Castro steps down, confirms Party will limit extent of economic reforms

Photo by AFP Raúl Castro has told delegates attending Cuba’s eighth Communist Party Congress that he will be standing down as its First Secretary despite the wish of some to encourage him to continue. Addressing delegates at the end of a report from the Politburo, which set the scene for the issues to be considered […]

Upgraded tourism to be locomotive of recovering Cuban economy

Photo by Aurélien Courtet  Cuban tourism will continue to be a locomotive of the country’s economy, generating income that contributes to increasing the well-being of all, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has told a meeting of the Ministry of the Tourism (Mintur). Speaking to more than 300 regional tourism executives by video link, Marrero, a former Minister […]

Australian gold miner moving ahead with venture in Isle of Youth

Photo by Christina Deravedisian The Australian company Antilles Gold has reported that it is hoping to discover gold and silver in exploitable quantities on a site that it is exploring at La Demajagua on Cuba’s Isla de la Juventud. It is also considering a similar acquisition at Golden Hills in Las Tunas in central Cuba. The […]

Visitor arrivals fell by 25.4% in 2020

Photo by MJ Haru The number of visitors to Cuba fell by 25.4% in 2020 despite the country experiencing positive arrivals numbers in January, February and March 2020. The figures, which reflect the serious impact of the pandemic and the closure of the country’s borders for much of last year, can be found on the website […]

Havana Club has good year despite pandemic

Photo by Tim Rüßmann The CEO of Havana Club Internacional SA, Christian Barré, has said that although 2020 was an unusual year due to COVID-19, the company had been able to adapt, show good results and increase market share in most of the markets in which it is present. Speaking to the media he said that […]

CARICOM Chair calls for reset in US relations with Cuba

The Chair of CARICOM, Dr Keith Rowley, the Prime Minister of Trinidad, has called for the US to return to a policy of engagement in its relations with Cuba. Speaking on 26 February in an online event organised by the Washington think tank, the Atlantic Council, he called for a reset in relations between the […]

Better local planning required in sensitive tourism locations

Cuba’s Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero, has said that Cuba needs to end the construction of ‘anachronistic’ buildings in areas of environmental and visitor importance. Speaking in Varadero during a visit to review progress on a Council of Ministers development plan approved in 2019, he urged the local and the provincial authorities in Matanzas to do […]

Ministers defend the impact of economic reforms

Photo by Peter Zimmermann via Getty Images Cuban ministers have said that Government is monitoring closely public concerns about the impact of currency unification on prices and wages and have stressed that, where possible, remedial action will be taken to ensure fairness. Speaking on the flagship Television programme Mesa Redonda – the principal vehicle for […]

Greater economic role envisaged for the private sector

Photo by Jeison Higuita  15th February 2021 Cuba’s Council of Ministers has approved and published a list of more than 2,000 forms of employment that in future can be undertaken by the country’s embryonic private sector. The announcement, which had been expected, confirms that Cuba’s non-state sector is likely to grow and will be given new […]

Cuba ramping up its vaccine production capacity

Photo by Ivan Diaz 9 February 2021, Issue 1084 Cuba is scaling up its bio-pharma production facilities to manufacture millions of doses of its COVID-19 Soberana vaccines. Speaking on the television and radio programme, Mesa Redonda, Eduardo Martínez, the President of the Business Group of BioCubaFarma, said that Cuba is currently working on having the capacity […]

White House confirms early review of Cuba policy

Photo by Tabrez Syed 1 February 2021, Issue 1083 The Biden White House has confirmed that it will review the former Trump administration’s policy towards Cuba. Speaking on 28 January the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said that in doing so the new administration “will take its own path”. In answer to a question, she […]

EU rejects US terrorism designation

Photo by Chris Hardy 25 January 2021, Issue 1082 The European Union’s High Representative, Vice-President Josep Borrell, has criticised the inclusion of Cuba in the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. An EU statement following the third EU-Cuba Joint Council meeting noted that Borrell regretted that the decision by the outgoing Tump administration “will have […]

Trump administration redesignates Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism

Photo by Ricardo IV Tamayo In the dying days of the Trump administration the US State Department has again designated Cuba as a ‘State Sponsor of Terrorism’. The decision could slow efforts by the incoming Biden administration to take calibrated steps to gradually restore US-Cuba relations. The decision to redesignate by the US Secretary of State, […]

ESICUBA sets out currency unification implications for Cuban insurance policies

Photo by tiago claro Cuba’s state insurance company ESICUBA (Seguros Internacionales de Cuba SA) has issued an official note indicating how the process of monetary and exchange rate unification will affect its clients both individual and corporate. ESICUBA reported that following currency unification on 1 January all current policies will maintain current rates, until expiration.  It said […]

President calls for ‘extreme measures’ as virus surges again

11 January 2021, Issue 1080 President Díaz-Canel has called on Cubans to exercise greater responsibility to drastically reduce the spread of a third outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which is reported to have reached a new peak. Leading a meeting of the country’s high level ‘Temporary Working Group for the prevention of COVID-19’, Díaz-Canel said […]

Government reduces energy price hike following widespread objections

In an indication of the political sensitivity of the economic, exchange rate and currency reforms being implemented, the Cuban government has reconsidered the sharp increase in electricity prices it had planned for 2021. Before Christmas and following criticism on social media as well as objections by many Cubans, Vice President Marino Murillo, Head of the […]

Reform of Cuba’s dual currency system, salaries, and prices to start on 1 January

Photographer: Yamil Lage/AFP/ Getty Images The Cuban government has announced that the unification of its present dual currency system will begin on 1 January 2021. The exchange rate will be CUP24 to US$1 and as previously announced, the convertible peso, the CUC, will be abolished. Speaking on Cuban television and radio, Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, […]

Central Bank enables alternative remittances provider

 Cuba’s Central Bank has granted a license to Servicios de Pago Red SA (REDSA) to enable it to facilitate the processing of remittances.  Although the decision in relation to REDSA comes shortly after Western Union withdrew from Cuba as a consequence of US sanctions on FINCIMEX (Cuba Briefing 2 November 2020), Cuban officials have indicated […]

Cuba’s President demands officials battle surging food prices

President Díaz-Canel has called on provincial Governors and officials to “battle” the steep rise in the price of foodstuffs and essential items now being seen across Cuba.  “Abusive and speculative prices cannot be allowed, and we must go out to discuss with those who are currently raising prices, why they are doing it”, he was […]

Díaz-Canel tells Cuban business it must become competitive

Cuban business must ‘immediately promote a culture of innovation to solve the most pressing problems of the country’, President Díaz-Canel has told a high-level meeting. In remarks critical of the state enterprise sector’s failure to respond to previous calls for change, he told the bodies that effectively control state enterprises that Cuba has the expertise […]

Biden expected to restore working relationship with Cuba

[photo – CNN Español] Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has recognised the outcome of the US elections. Writing in a Tweet on 8 November, he noted ‘The US people have chosen a new direction in the presidential elections. We believe in the possibility of a constructive bilateral relationship respectful of differences’. Although Cuba has yet to […]

Cuba turns to the market to increase food supply

 In a bid to encourage agricultural production and offset food shortages, Cuba has announced a raft of market related reforms effectively commercialising food production. The new policy will in part enable all state and non-state farmers and others involved in food production, processing and distribution to sell surplus produce directly once government contracts have been […]

US sanctions cripple Cuba’s remittances system

Over 400 offices in Cuba that receive remittances from Western Union are expected to close on 27 November if no immediate alternative mechanism is found to receive funds sent to Cubans from family members in the US.  Fincimex, the Cuban state entity that is Western Union’s agent on the island, made the announcement after the […]

Murillo provides detail on currency unification and exchange rate policy

 The Head of Cuba’s Permanent Commission for the Implementation of the Guidelines (lineamientos), Marino Murillo Jorge, has said that the US Dollar exchange rate to the Cuban Peso (CUP) will be fixed when the country unifies its dual currency system (see Cuba Briefing 19 October 2020).  He said, however, that if over time business does […]

Cuban minister details elements of economic reform package

Speaking on Cuban Television, Cuba’s Minister of the Economy, Alejandro Gil, has outlined a complex economic reform package aimed at transforming and modernising the Cuban economy that retains the country’s centralised system of socialist planning.  Gil told viewers of Mesa Redonda, the country’s nightly flagship television programme, that the overall economic strategy being pursued, and […]

President says monetary unification process to be announced very soon

 Cuba’s President has said that the government will announce shortly, details of the process that will end the country’s dual currency system and lead to monetary and exchange rate unification.  “The scope of this task is great, it is a comprehensive, conceptually deep and comprehensive work that has taken years of study, and that takes […]

US sanctions popular new method of receiving remittances

This issue’s highlights include: – US sanctions popular new method of receiving remittances – Cuba to adapt Economic Plan to reflect impact of COVID and tighter embargo – Russia expresses full support for Cuba, recognises difficulties country is facing – New regulations lift some restrictions on state enterprises – US firm fined US$5.9m for ‘intentional’ violation of sanctions – Havana […]

Trump administration halts all US stays in government run hotels

The US government has introduced new regulations that have the effect of ending stays by US citizens in all Cuban hotels owned or controlled by the Cuban government or senior figures connected to the Cuban Communist Party.  Announcing the expansion of existing restrictions on licensed travel by US citizens to Cuba, the State Department said […]

Poll shows Biden far behind Trump with Cuban American voters

US opinion polls show that the Democratic Presidential nominee, the former Vice President Joe Biden. is polling significantly less well than President Trump with Cuban American voters.  A recent Miami Herald poll noted that among Cuban Americans in Miami Dade, Trump leads Biden by 38 percentage points. More generally in Florida, according to an NBC […]

Cuba moving closer to unification of its dual currency system

[Photo: ADNCUBA] Despite Cuba’s Central Bank denying rumours on timing, there are growing indications that Cuba may be close to announcing plans for the unification of its economically distorting dual currency system which has been in place since 2004. On 10 September, the Central Bank issued a statement denying widespread social media posts indicating that the unification […]

Russia’s Zarubezhneft launches first well in Boca de Jaruco oil field

[The Cuban History Website, 2020] JSC Zarubezhneft, the Russian state-controlled oil company, has said that it has successfully launched its first horizontal well in flow mode, in Cuba’s Boca de Jaruco field. The company reported in a statement that the initial onshore oil flow was 52 tons per day of extra viscous oil. The first well is exploratory […]

Cuba begins clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine

Cuba has begun clinical trials of a potential coronavirus vaccine known as Soberana 01. Granma, the official voice of Cuba’s Communist Party, reported in late August that the country’s overall biotech and pharmamanagement group BioCubaFarma has received permission from the country’s regulatory authorities to begin clinical trials of the candidate vaccine. The group said that it was ‘capable of producing […]

Malmierca details new export/import regime for non- state enterprises

Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, has explained how recently announced measures aimed at encouraging non-state enterprises to export and import will work (Cuba Briefing 20 July 2020). Speaking on the flagship television programme Mesa Redonda, he said that 36 Cuban companies specialised in foreign trade will provide import and export intermediary services […]

Díaz-Canel outlines phase one of ‘economic transformation’ process

The Cuban government has outlined the first phase of an integrated series of economic measures which, if fully implemented and successful, could radically alter the structure and functioning of the Cuban economy within its centralised system of planning. The changes place emphasis on a greater role for the private sector, relating supply to demand, stimulating […]

Scientists explain how Cuba has brought COVID-19 under control

Against a background of no deaths and no new critical cases for thirteen days, a group of prominent Cuban scientists have discussed the epidemiology of COVID-19 and the treatments that are proving effective in Cuba. Their comments indicate the importance of early testing and the pharma products that Cuba has found to work in treating […]

Falling rice production indicates growing food supply challenge

Despite having made significant progress in controlling the spread of COVID-19, it is becoming apparent that Cuba now faces as big a challenge in overcoming food shortages. Articles appearing almost daily in the Cuban media indicate that the country’s inefficient, bureaucratic and centrally managed food production system is failing to meet planned targets for staples including […]

Trump Administration ups pressure on Cuban medical programmes

In a further escalation of its pressure on Cuba, the Trump Administration has issued a severely worded report alleging that Cuba’s international medical programmes constitute “forced labour” and a form of “human trafficking”. The State Department’s ‘Trafficking in Persons Report 2020’ comes as Cuban medical brigades are helping fight COVID -19 internationally and governments in the Caribbean […]

Malmierca says new opportunities coming for smaller foreign investors

Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, has said that Cuba is looking at new opportunities for smaller foreign investors in relation to manufacturing for the domestic economy and export. Such opportunities could involve either the state or non-state sector, Malmierca explained. Speaking on Cuban television, he outlined the new areas under consideration […]

Cuba to begin phased recovery from impact of COVID-19

Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said that Cuba is now able to undertake a staged recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. His announcement on 11 June follows the declaration that almost all Cuban provinces and municipalities, with the exception of a district of Havana (Cuba Briefing 8 June 2020), have been without incident for almost a month and […]

Trump Administration moves to end remittances

The Trump Administration announced on 3 June new measures designed to halt the flow of US remittances through the Cuban financial institution FINCIMEX. The company is the principal Cuban intermediary for Western Union and other money transfer companies, and the partner for foreign credit card companies. The decision, which the US Government says was made […]

Spike in COVID-19 cases in Havana sets back national recovery

Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has said that the extent to which the country can move forward to the first phase of post COVID-19 recovery will depend on greater cooperation, support and responsibility from the people of Havana. According to Cubadebate, a 30 May meeting of the government committee regularly reviewing progress heard that 111 new […]

President says Cuban science has brought virus under control

President Díaz-Canel, has recognised the central role of Cuban science in bringing the COVID-19 epidemic under control. Noting that the country had experienced six consecutive days without deaths, was seeing a significant reduction in the number of critically ill and seriously ill patients, as well as more people leaving medical facilities than entering them, he […]

Tourism Ministry says country not yet ready to open to visitors

In response to growing social media speculation about the reopening of Cuba’s tourism sector, the country’s Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) has said that it will not open to visitors until government declares it is safe to do so. The MINTUR statement followed the announcement by several airlines including Air Canada, American, and South West that they had begun […]

Cuba’s President calls for faster pace of agreed reforms to spur recovery

[Photo: frontera.net] A report of a meeting of Cuba’s Council of Ministers to consider changes to the country’s 2020 economic plan has quoted President Díaz-Canel as saying that “above all” it will be necessary to begin designing the country’s recovery from COVID-19. “How are we going to open up tourism, how are we going to open up flights, from which countries, with which […]

Imperial sells its premium cigar business

Imperial Brands has agreed to sell its premium cigar business to two investment consortia for a total of €1,225m (US$1.3bn). Gemstone Investment Holding Ltd will acquire Premium Cigar USA for a total consideration of €185m (US$202m), and Allied Cigar Corporation will acquire Premium Cigar RoW for a total consideration of €1,040m (US$1.1bn). The latter sale includes 50% of Cuba’s Habanos SA […]

Higher demand for energy causing government concern

Much higher than usual demand for electricity in April as a result of stay at home orders, plus unusually high temperatures across Cuba are causing concern that measures may have to be taken to reduce or control energy consumption. According to Cuba’s National Energy Council, the planned for mid- day peak has been exceeded by […]

Clinical trials underway on vaccine to boost immunity to COVID-19

The Director of Research at Cuba’s Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Dr Gerardo Guillén, has said that a clinical trial is underway on a vaccine aimed at activating the immune system to help combat COVID-19. Speaking on the live television and radio programme Mesa Redonda, Guillén said that a vaccine known as CIGB 2020 is […]

EU seeks general lifting of sanctions on coronavirus related supplies

The EU’s high representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borell, has said in a declaration that sanctions should not impede the delivery of essential equipment and supplies necessary to fight the coronavirus and limit its spread worldwide. In a statement issued after a virtual meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on 3 April and before a UN […]

Government refocuses economic policy on national self- sufficiency

Cuba has announced a range of new economic policy measures aimed at reordering the management of its national economy in the light of the pressures placed on it by the COVID-19 virus. In a television broadcast, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil, said that new economic priorities will be established. […]

Cuba bans all foreign visitors to stem spread of coronavirus

President Miguel Díaz-Canel has said that starting 24 March, Cuba will stop all foreign visitors from entering the country for a month in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on the island. The measure would, he said, “enable us to stop (imported) cases and to focus on detecting those that are in the country […]

Cuba’s biopharma sector increasing production to meet coronavirus challenge

Cuba’s advanced biopharma industry is preparing to significantly increase the production of domestically manufactured pharmaceutical products to cope with Coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Eduardo Martínez, the President of the BioCubaFarma Business Group. Speaking to the Cuban media, he said that among the products would be the Cuban antiviral recombinant Interferon alfa 2B (IFNrec), which has already […]

US placing pressure on Lithuania not to ratify EU-Cuba cooperation agreement

The United States Government is placing pressure on the Government of Lithuania not to ratify the European Union’s Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) signed with Cuba in 2016. All other EU member states have approved the agreement which is being provisionally implemented. In a letter sent to the Lithuanian Government, the US Secretary of […]

Díaz-Canel calls for fundamental change in role of Economy and Planning Ministry

Finding the right relationship between centralisation and decentralisation of the country’s economic-financial processes is a necessary step for a better performance of the Cuban economy, President Miguel Díaz-Canel has told a review meeting of the Ministry of Economy and Planning. Calling on it to become “a ministry of thought” that fosters an innovative economy, he […]

Tourism Minister optimistic about restoring growth

Cuba’s new Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García, has expressed confidence that Cuba will be able to reverse the falloff in visitor arrival numbers in 2019 and, in future, see year on year increases as new hotels and tourism facilities come on stream. Speaking on the television programme Mesa Redonda, García said that tourism continues […]

Cuba defaults on Paris Club debt: says it will meet its commitments

The Cuban government has said that it will meet its commitments to service government debt, agreed with the Paris Club following a default on some repayments due in 2019. The commitment was contained in a letter sent by Cuban Deputy Prime Minister, Ricardo Cabrisas, to Odile Renaud-Basso, Director General of the French Treasury, who is […]

Meliá’s CEO barred from entering the US as Washington weaponises Title IV

The Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Meliá Hotels International SA, Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, has been barred from visiting the United States because of his company’s investments in Cuba. The ruling, according the EU’s Ambassador to Cuba, Alberto Navarro, also applies to other members of Meliá’s board and their families. The decision to sanction […]

Official statistics show that visitor arrivals declined by 9.3% in 2019

Visitor arrivals to Cuba declined in 2019 by 9.3% to 4.3m compared to 4.7m in 2018 according to Cuba’s National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI). Additionally, Cubadebate reported that in December, the start of the winter high season, the decline was particularly marked with visitor arrivals falling by 16.8%, compared to the same period […]

Díaz-Canel says Cuba ready for the possible re-election of Trump

President Díaz-Canel has said that Cuba is ready for the possible reelection of Donald Trump. “For us these situations are not new. Cuba is prepared to face difficult times, with re-election or without reelection”, he told national and foreign journalists accompanying him on a working visit to Sancti Spiritus on 23 January. Cuba’s President also […]

Díaz-Canel says use of railway system vital to improving efficiency

Cuba is to place greater emphasis on the transport of goods by rail in order to save costs and increase efficiency at a time of shortages and rising costs caused by the tightening of the US embargo. Speaking at a meeting called in part to discuss progress in upgrading the country’s railway system, Cuba’s President, […]

Economy Minister stresses importance of flexible approach to planning

Cuba’s economic plan should not be regarded as a straitjacket, but as indication of objectives, according to the country’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil Fernández. Speaking on the country’s flagship television discussion programme, Mesa Redonda, he said that in 2020 the economic problems facing the country as a result of the tightening of […]

Details of currency unification to be announced later this year

President Díaz-Canel, has said that the issue of unifying Cuba’s unique dual currency system cannot be delayed, and that work is advanced on the legislation that would lead to it being placed before the National Assembly in 2020. Speaking to members of the Cuban National Assembly on 21 December, he told delegates “this issue has […]