Three months after launching its economic package, the Cuban government has brought bad news.

more than 300 companies With losses, the sugar crop which is in danger of being worse than the previous crop, fewer tourists More than expected during this period, price increases: Findings of the most recent meeting of Cuban Council of Ministers They question the alleged economic adjustment plan announced by the government at the end of 2023 as a solution to the severe crisis being experienced by Cubans.

According to Mildre Granadillo de la Torre, First Deputy Minister of Economy and Planning, however, between February 28 and March 22, a fuel price increase was implemented at state gas stations, as well as a partial dollarization of its sales. Passenger transport prices continue to rise. This, he said, is despite the fact that private transporters buy fuel to operate at wholesale prices. Summary, “The expected effect on prices has not been achieved”official newspaper indicated Granma,

Regarding the performance of the Cuban economy between January and February, Economy and Planning Minister Joaquín Alonso Vázquez reported that in that period “there was a slight increase in exports of goods compared to the same period last year, as well as Violations in agricultural production plans”.

Regarding tourism, passenger arrivals were 89% of the plan with 268,176 visitors in the first two months of 2024. This, which is 11.9% higher in February 2023 and 8.6% higher than last January, reflects continued stability in that business.

For its part, the current sugar harvest is in danger of closing with a new shortage. According to the official, this is what has happened so far Low industrial and sugarcane productionFuel shortages and “other issues of an organizational nature” caused further losses, the report said.

Alonso Vazquez said that ““What has been achieved puts pressure on the fulfillment of the plan and, at the same time, on the distribution of sugar from the family basket.”Which will be the item most affected by the possible decline in production.

Julio García Pérez, president of the state Azuquero Azcuba group, reported that At present many harvesting companies are in loss Linked to both inefficiencies and grinding instability. As is the case in these cases, officials said the strategy will be to grind until weather conditions permit in areas where it is possible to do so.

While speaking at a meeting of the Council of Ministers, Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, member of the Political Bureau and general secretary of the Official Union of Workers of Cuba, the only legal union on the island, complained because there is a “From not paying workers to growth in various sectors of the economy.,

The officer told that they are More than 300 government companies are in lossTherefore its employees do not receive salary benefits derived from profits.

In this regard, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said that “While it is true that many difficulties have been encountered regarding fuel and the economic situation is complex, it is also true that there are things that are not being done and executed. can be done.” “Regarding economic and productive issues”.

Furthermore, he called for more foreign exchange earnings for the country. “And it has a lot to do with the need for more production,” he stressed.

He also mentioned ““The problem of high prices, for the prevention of which the measures implemented, as well as the inspections carried out by the inspectorates, have proven inadequate”Cited the report of Granma,

As always, the solution Marrero proposes is about greater control. so he called “Launch a raid against high and speculative prices The population is justifiably demanding so, and as a result, apply all the powers established by governments to control them.” This, while the government itself raises the prices of fuel, retail liquefied gas, electricity rates for higher consumers. Bus, train and plane tickets, etc.

Regarding the fiscal deficit by the end of January 2024, the Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, commented that That indicator was 12,632 million pesos5,281 million pesos less than planned, although much higher for national economic value.

The minister said that the main reason for this is the lack of proper implementation of current expenses and slightly higher income. he pointed to Many provinces have not yet succeeded in reducing the deficitHowever, the report did not provide details.

For the current financial year, Government approved Maximum fiscal deficit equal to 18.5% of GDPMore than the limit allowed by Cuban law and the second largest in the world., surpassed only by Ukraine, a country devastated by Russia’s invasion. Many economists predicted that its effect would be seen in the form of increasing inflation and poverty of Cubans. Certainly, the free fall in value of the Cuban peso has not stopped so far.

On this issue, Manuel Marrero called for discipline in the execution of the budget, “since Violations related to change of destination of accepted dataAs well as distortions related to the appointment.

There is also no good news regarding the control system for overdue accounts receivable and payable. Regueiro Ale presented a report in this regard in which it is clear that, ““Six months after updating the system, the expected changes and effectiveness were not appreciated.”so they eat They do not diminish.

According to GranmaOscar Pérez Oliva, First Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, presented the report related to the end of 2023 Economic effects on the country due to irregularities in foreign trade operations and implementation of a comprehensive strategy for exports of goods and services, but the report does not provide details in this regard.

“The fight today is tough, and to end it we need to move forward with our heads held high and with determination” to “move forward in solving problems, in improving the conditions of our populations, but with the conviction that That the battle will be fought “We are going to throw him out and we are going to win him,” Marrero said, echoing the usual rhetoric of island officials.

And although the unpopular package has not yet shown the effects the government expected, when it was announced, the Prime Minister gave assurances The current context “commits us to go further in the implementation of Government estimates, Hence our insistence on the need to identify the distortions and negative trends currently manifesting.”

“If we don’t start by identifying the things that are wrong for us, the things that are working poorly and we look for solutions, we will stagnate, we will not move forward, and as we said, we Will continue to do the same. A little more of the same,” he added.

“Resources are scarce, we have so many problems, that doesn’t mean we don’t have to plan and we don’t demand compliance with plans,” he said.

And to end, The Council of Ministers approved a sculptural intervention that will be created in the so-called José Martí Anti-Imperialist TribuneHe Granma Based on Decree Law 238 of 2015 on the Development of Monumental and Environmental Sculpture, it is classified as “a project of high heritage importance”.

Although the report does not mention the cost of this construction, which is part of a propaganda effort by the Cuban regime, economic constraints do not seem to exist for this type of initiative.