THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Cuba's Communist Party approves emergency economic plan ... - WLRN Americas Cuba’s Communist Party approves emergency economic plan opening to private enterprise WLRN Public Media | By Andrea Rodriguez | Associated Press Published June 18, 2026 at 1:35 PM EDT Threads Facebook Twitter Pinterest Bluesky LinkedIn Email Ramon Espinosa / AP Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel, second left, and Raul Castro's grandson Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, center back, take part in a rally in support of former President Raul Castro in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, Friday, May 22, 2026, after U.S. prosecutors filed an indictment accusing him of ordering the 1996 shootdown of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles. HAVANA — Cuba’s powerful Communist Party, or PCC, on Thursday approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy amid heightened pressure from the U.S. The document, which has not yet been made public, will be submitted Thursday to Cuba’s National Assembly. It envisions expanding opportunities for private enterprise, greater autonomy for municipalities and state-o…

Cuban economy needs ‘urgent changes’ as US blockade deepens crisis, says president <p>Miguel Díaz-Canel cites China and Vietnam as possible models for opening up the country’s economy</p><p>Cuba’s economy needs “urgent changes” to overcome a major crisis intensified by a US oil blockade, president Miguel Díaz-Canel said in a speech to Communist party leaders.<br><br> “The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes,” Díaz-Canel told the party’s politburo in his frankest admission yet of the need to overhaul the country’s communist model.</p><p>In the remarks, broadcast on Thursday, he cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/cuba">Cuba’</a>s economy to the world in order to “create economic wealth and distribute it equally.”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/18/cuban-economy-needs-urgent-changes-as-us-blockade-deepens-crisis-says-president">Continue reading...</a>

Cuba: Díaz-Canel announces economic reforms to attract investment Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration.

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelon Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The announcement comes as Cubans have struggled with fuel shortages as a result of theU.S. oil blockadeand food insecurity. In January, the United Statestightened restrictions on Cuba’s oil suppliesin an effort to pressure the island’s government to change its political and economic model, exacerbating challenges that have persisted for about five years. The U.S. State Department did no…

Díaz-Canel announces reforms to liberalize Cuba's economy Carlos S. Maldonado Mexico - Jun 12, 2026 - 19:01 CEST Share on Whatsapp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Desplegar Redes Sociales Prefer EL PAÍS on Google Compartir: Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Bluesky Linkedin Copy link New winds of reform are sweeping through Havana. The Cuban regime on Friday announced a package of structural changes under the so-called Economic and Social Program for 2026 to confront one of the most severe crises in its recent history. The measures, announced by President Miguel Díaz-Canel, include an unprecedented decentralization of the heavy state apparatus, allowing state companies to participate in the foreign exchange market, authorizing investments by Cubans abroad , ending subsidies for certain products and a severe reduction of bureaucracy. “These are times when changes must be made,” the president said, under pressure from chronic shortages, an energy collapse and the lingering threat of social unrest and U.S. pressure. At the core of the reform is an effort to revive an economy paralyzed by centralism. The plan foresees granting municipalities the authority to manage their own foreign-curren…

Cuban legislators approve sweeping reforms to socialist model amid US ... HAVANA, June 18 (Reuters) - Cuban legislators unanimously approved sweeping reforms backed by the Communist Party and former leader Raul Castro that would privatise a vast swath of the country’s socialist economy in a bid to survive punishing US sanctions. By Reuters 19 Jun 2026 epa12779003 People repair a boat in Havana harbor, Cuba, 26 February 2026. A maritime confrontation in Cuban territorial waters involving a US speedboat and Cuban Border Guard on 25 February 2026 has left several dead and injured, marking a significant escalation in maritime tensions. EPA/ERNESTO MASTRASCUSA Dive Deeper Speed Read Listen Dive Deeper By Dave Sherwood and Ayose Naranjo The measures, if implemented as passed, would represent the single largest change to Cuba’s socialist model since former leader Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution and a major shift towards a market economy. The reforms open the door to private real estate development on the Caribbean island, propose to transform state-owned businesses into private commercial ventures with shares and equity stakes and would allow private banks to enter Cuba’s once state-domi…

People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) FILE - A U.S. and Cuban flag hangs on a wall in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Cuba Daily Life 1 of 3 People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) HAVANA (AP) — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. The 176 measures aim to further decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy , which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at w…

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelon Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The announcement comes as Cubans have struggled with fuel shortages as a result of theU.S. oil blockadeand food insecurity. In January, the United Statestightened restrictions on Cuba’s oil suppliesin an effort to pressure the island’s government to change its political and economic model, exacerbating challenges that have persisted for about five years. The U.S. State Department did no…

Cuban leader Díaz-Canel announces sweeping economic reforms to fend ... Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Buy Now Bolivian President Evo Morales (right) speaks with then Cuban High Education Minister Miguel Diaz Canel during a meeting at Havana's University on June 11, 2009. (STR/AFP via Getty Images/TNS) STR/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Gift this article New subscriber benefit! Copied to clipboard Out of gifts for the month Unfortunately you've used all of your gifts this month. Your counter will reset on the first day of next month. Share this article paywall-free Email Copy Link Amid a tense standoff with the Trump administration, Cuba’s leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has announced sweeping reforms that would grant more autonomy to state enterprises, expand private-sector activities and allow Cubans on the island and abroad to invest on equal footing with foreign investors. In comments to reporters, Díaz-Canel outlined changes that Cuban economists have advocated and that Cuban leaders have resisted for decades, but said the country could not con…

Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms in biggest economic ... Audio By Carbonatix HAVANA (AP) — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. The 176 measures aim to further decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy, which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at which goods are sold and how the country’s resources are allocated. The plan includes more space for private businesses, imports and exports without state intermediation, free hiring of personnel, authorization for private banks and investment by Cubans abroad. It even permits fast-food chains to establish themselves on the island. “Elements that for decades were listed as pillars of the revolutionary economy, such as the state monopoly on foreign trade and the centralization of productive forces, have been dismantled,” said Luis …

People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) By Associated Press PUBLISHED: June 18, 2026 at 4:33 PM MDT | UPDATED: June 18, 2026 at 4:38 PM MDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s Communist Party has approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy following heightened pressure from the United States. While the full document has not been released, here are some of the proposals, based on statements by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials. A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A man works on a classic American car in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) Show C…

Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms - ABC News Observers are calling Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul on the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution while the grandson of former President Raúl Castro says in an interview that Cuba must seek to move it... HAVANA --Observers on Friday called Cuba’s newfree-market reformsthe most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. The 176 measures aim tofurther decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy, which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at which goods are sold and how the country’s resources are allocated. The plan includes more space for private businesses, imports and exports without state intermediation, free hiring of personnel, authorization for private banks and investment by Cubans abroad. It even permits fast-food chains to establish themselves on …

Cuban leader Díaz-Canel announces sweeping economic reforms to fend ... Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Amid a tense standoff with the Trump administration, Cuba’s leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, has announced sweeping reforms that would grant more autonomy to state enterprises, expand private-sector activities and allow Cubans on the island and abroad to invest on equal footing with foreign investors. In comments to reporters, Díaz-Canel outlined changes that Cuban economists have advocated and that Cuban leaders have resisted for decades, but said the country could not continue working as it is: “These are times when change is necessary.” It is unclear when Díaz-Canel spoke to reporters who were described as part of the presidential office’s press team, but his comments were aired on television and radio early Friday morning. Among the changes he mentioned are: •A reduction of government and political organizations. He said the savings in the state budget will be used for social programs and a salary reform benefiting state workers. •More autonomy for state enterprises so they can “operate without intermediaries or …

People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) By Associated Press PUBLISHED: June 18, 2026 at 4:33 PM MDT | UPDATED: June 18, 2026 at 4:38 PM MDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s Communist Party has approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy following heightened pressure from the United States. While the full document has not been released, here are some of the proposals, based on statements by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials. A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A man works on a classic American car in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) Show C…

A fisherman prepares his fishing rod in front of the Colombian Navy ship ARC Caribe, docked at a pier in Havana, Cuba, after arriving with humanitarian aid, Friday, June 12, 2926. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) By Associated Press | ap@dfmdev.com PUBLISHED: June 12, 2026 at 12:11 PM PDT | UPDATED: June 12, 2026 at 2:17 PM PDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The a…

Cuba's Communist Party approves emergency economic plan opening to ... Cuba’s Communist Party approves emergency economic plan opening to private enterpriseBy ANDREA RODRÍGUEZAssociated PressThe Associated PressHAVANA HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s powerful Communist Party on Thursdayapproved an emergency economic packagefeaturing unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy as pressure from the U.S. and the European Union heightens. The document, which has not yet been made public, will be submitted Thursday to Cuba’s National Assembly. It envisions expanding opportunities for private enterprise, greater autonomy for municipalities and state-owned companies and measures to attract additional foreign investment, including from Cubans abroad. In recent days, residents in several Havana neighborhoods staged protests, banging pots and pans aspower outagesspread across the island. “Cuba resists heroically and creatively, but has endured for too long a barbaric, undeserved and unbearable punishment, to which is now added the threat of military aggression,”President Miguel Díaz-Canelsaid late Wednesday in the closing speech of the Communist Party sess…

Cuban president says 'urgent' changes needed on island after oil ... A Cuban woman hanging laundry on her balcony is seen reflected in a glass window decorated with a poster of Cuba’s leader Fidel Castro in Old Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Dado Galdieri, File) HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Monday that his government should “immediately” focus on implementing urgent transformations to the island’s economic and social model as oil reservesin the Caribbean countrydwindle. The comments made during a meeting of the Council of Ministers come as Cuba feels the squeeze ofa recent oil blockadecoupled with a halt in oil shipments from Venezuela after the U.S.attacked the South American countryin January. “We must focus, immediately, on implementing the urgent, most necessary transformations that must be made to the economic and social model,” he was quoted as saying by state-owned media. Díaz-Canel said the push to transform Cuba’s economic and social model are tied to business and municipal autonomy and the resizing of the state apparatus, government and institutions, among other things, according to state-owned media. He called on municipali…

Cuban economy needs 'urgent changes' to overcome crisis: president Cuba’s economy needs “urgent changes” to overcome a major crisis intensified by a US oil blockade, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in a speech to Communist Party leaders broadcast on Thursday. “The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes,” Diaz-Canel told the party’s politburo in his frankest admission yet of the need for an overhaul of the country’s communist model. He cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba’s economy to the world in order to “create economic wealth and distribute it equally.” Diaz-Canel made the remarks at a meeting called to fast-track reforms aimed at boosting the growing private sector and attracting more capital from millions of Cubans who have fled the crisis abroad. Some of the reforms “will not have absolute consensus but cannot be postponed,” Diaz-Canel stressed. “When people’s lives become this hard,” the Communist Party and government had a responsibility to “change what needs to be changed” rather than try to explain away the crisis, he said. The oil blockade imposed by President Donald Trump in January has brought Cuba’s already moribund economy to the br…

Cuba's Economic Reforms: Díaz-Canel's Call for Ideas Amidst Pre ... On Friday, Miguel Díaz-Canel unveiled a series of economic reforms under the regime's so-called "Social and Economic Program for 2026." He called for public input, though the measures have already been agreed upon and are set for swift approval. “Anyone with a better idea or proposal, feel free to speak up, and we will always consider it,” he stated, yet he noted that the plans have been finalized and are ready to be promptly enacted. Among the standout initiatives is enabling municipalities to engage in import and export activities without intermediaries and to directly manage foreign investments. Díaz-Canel elaborated, “Municipalities will be able to import and export without higher-level structures. They can manage foreign currency income and foreign investments, whether with companies or Cubans living abroad.” He also mentioned that state-owned enterprises will operate without external interference, retain foreign currency, and choose their clients and suppliers. Additionally, Cubans abroad will be allowed to invest on the same terms as foreign entities. Other plans include gradually removing subsidies on good…

Díaz-Canel announces economic reforms to attract investment and ... HAVANA — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country's administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The announcement comes as Cubans have struggled with fuel shortages as a result of the U.S. oil blockade and food insecurity. In January, the United States tightened restrictions on Cuba's oil supplies in an effort to pressure the island's government to change its political and economic model, exacerbating challenges that hav…

Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms in biggest economic ... People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) A U.S. and Cuban flag hangs on a wall in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) HAVANA (AP) — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s newfree-market reformsthe most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. The 176 measures aim tofurther decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy, which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at which goods are sold and how the country’s resources are allocated. The plan includes more space for private businesses, imports and exports without state intermediation, free hiring of personnel…

Cuba approves sweeping market reforms as economic crisis and US ... Cuba's National Assembly has approved the country's most far-reaching economic overhaul since the 1959 revolution, ratifying a package of reforms designed to pull the island back from the brink of collapse after the measures cleared the Communist Party's Central Committee. The package, voted on by lawmakers on June 18 and backed by President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former president Raúl Castro, comprises 176 measures grouped into 23 strategic areas of economic and social policy, according to the Communist Party newspaperGranma. The proposals emerged from a review process in which 390 suggestions were submitted to the National Assembly, of which roughly two-thirds were accepted in some form, with the remainder folded into implementation guidance or judged not to constitute substantive change. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero unveiled the measures in a landmark address to the National Assembly, framing them as an effort to modernise the economy and improve productivity while preserving Cuba's socialist system. The vote passed unanimously, and Díaz-Canel closed the session by reciting Fidel Castro's revolutionary sloga…

Díaz-Canel unveils reforms to liberalize Cuba's economy amid an oil crisis and US sanctions <p> <img src="https://en.mercopress.com/data/cache/noticias/110462/100x80/diaz.jpg" alt="The reform also envisages a reduction of the state apparatus &mdash;from 27 to 20 ministries, according to a draft law&mdash; to cut spending and finance a future salary reform" width="100" height="80" style="float:left;margin:0 12px 6px 0;border:1px solid #333" /> Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a broad package of economic reforms, under the so-called Economic and Social Program for 2026, to confront one of the most severe crises in the island's recent history, amid strong pressure from Donald Trump's government. "These are times when we have to change," the president said, without specifying an entry-into-force date or the legal norms that will underpin each measure.</p>

Cuba's Communist Party approves emergency economic plan opening to ... Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel, second left, and Raul Castro’s grandson Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, center back, take part in a rally in support of former President Raul Castro in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, Friday, May 22, 2026, after U.S. prosecutors filed an indictment accusing him of ordering the 1996 shootdown of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s powerful Communist Party on Thursdayapproved an emergency economic packagefeaturing unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy as pressure from the U.S. and the European Union heightens. The document, which has not yet been made public, will be submitted Thursday to Cuba’s National Assembly. It envisions expanding opportunities for private enterprise, greater autonomy for municipalities and state-owned companies and measures to attract additional foreign investment, including from Cubans abroad. In recent days, residents in several Havana neighborhoods staged protests, banging pots and pans aspower outagesspread across the island. “Cuba…

A fisherman prepares his fishing rod in front of the Colombian Navy ship ARC Caribe, docked at a pier in Havana, Cuba, after arriving with humanitarian aid, Friday, June 12, 2926. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) By Associated Press | ap@dfmdev.com PUBLISHED: June 12, 2026 at 12:11 PM PDT | UPDATED: June 12, 2026 at 2:17 PM PDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The a…

Cuba approves economic reforms to expand private investment By Cristian Caraballo Published on 19/06/2026 - 14:00 GMT+2 • Updated 14:57 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp The Cuban parliament has approved 176 measures easing the economic model, boosting private sector involvement and opening the door to foreign investment. Cuba’s National Assembly on Thursday approved a package of 176 economic reforms aimed at expanding the participation of the private sector and attracting investment in various sectors of the economy. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The measures were presented by the prime minister , Manuel Marrero, during a parliamentary session at which a reduction in the role of the state in a range of economic activities was announced. Among the changes is the scrapping of the requirement for foreign investors to partner with state-owned companies, the authorisation of large private firms and the possibility for domestic and foreign investors to acquire stakes in state-owned enterprises. The reforms were approved unanimously in Parliament . At the end of the session, President …

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelon Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The announcement comes as Cubans have struggled with fuel shortages as a result of theU.S. oil blockadeand food insecurity. In January, the United Statestightened restrictions on Cuba’s oil suppliesin an effort to pressure the island’s government to change its political and economic model, exacerbating challenges that have persisted for about five years. The U.S. State Department did no…

Cuba launches economic reforms in the face of sanctions Follow us 1 minute 3 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 3 minutes The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, announced this Friday a set of structural reforms aimed at moving towards greater liberalization of the national economy. The package, inspired by the market economy models applied in China and Vietnam, aims to cushion the effects of the economic and energy sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. In an unexpected appearance before the media, the leader presented the so-called 'Economic and Social Program for 2026', conceived as a strategic response to the "multidimensional aggression" from the White House. The plan, aimed at softening the current centrally planned economy scheme, includes a broader opening to the private sector, the entry of state-owned companies into the foreign exchange market, the possibility for Cubans residing abroad to make investments, and a simplification of procedures to boost internal production. "Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment of takeoff, as a moment of growth. Therefore, we have established a group of priorities to face this entire situation," st…

Cuba’s Communist Party convenes to debate economic reforms | AP … Raul Castro, right, watches the May Day parade accompanied by Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel, second left, and Castro’s grandson, Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, center, at Revolution Square in Havana, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s powerful Communist Party, or PCC, called an unscheduled session Wednesday, a rare occurrence that comes days after President Miguel Díaz-Canelannounced an economic reform packageaimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy. Also Wednesday, in a surprise move, the National Assembly was also convened for Thursday to follow up on the party meeting. Both sessions come at acritical time for Cuba, as it grapples with the effects of aU.S. energy blockadeaimed at forcing a change in the island’s economic model. Last week, Díaz-Canel told journalists that the upcoming reforms would expand authorizations for private companies, which were first legalized five years ago. Without providing specific details or deadlines, the president noted that the plan will also allow Cubans living both on the island and abroad to invest intourism, while granting st…

A fisherman prepares his fishing rod in front of the Colombian Navy ship ARC Caribe, docked at a pier in Havana, Cuba, after arriving with humanitarian aid, Friday, June 12, 2926. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) By Associated Press | ap@dfmdev.com PUBLISHED: June 12, 2026 at 12:11 PM PDT | UPDATED: June 12, 2026 at 2:17 PM PDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The a…

Cuba approves unprecedented free-market reforms in effort to stave off ... Cuban lawmakers Thursday adopted nearly 200 historic free-market reforms aimed at rescuing the Communist island from a severe crisis aggravated by a U.S. oil blockade. In a landmark speech to the National Assembly, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero unveiled 176 measures aimed at rolling back the state's role in the economy and attracting investment in everything from banking to tourism and agriculture. Under the reforms, foreign investors are no longer required to form joint ventures with the state, large private enterprises will be authorized, and both Cuban and foreign investors will be allowed to acquire stakes in state companies. These and other huge changes come as the United States exerts relentless pressure on the island, with President Trump musing openly about taking over the Caribbean nation just 90 miles from Florida. Daniel Torralbas, a London-based Cuban economist, described the reforms as "the most profound" since the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro. They were adopted in a unanimous show of hands by lawmakers at a session which ended with President Miguel Diaz-Canel intoning Castro's famous re…

People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) By Associated Press PUBLISHED: June 18, 2026 at 4:33 PM MDT | UPDATED: June 18, 2026 at 4:38 PM MDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s Communist Party has approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy following heightened pressure from the United States. While the full document has not been released, here are some of the proposals, based on statements by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials. A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A man works on a classic American car in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) Show C…

HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelon Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by state-run media. “We have established a group of priorities to confront this situation,” he added without offering specifics. The announcement comes as Cubans have struggled with fuel shortages as a result of theU.S. oil blockadeand food insecurity. In January, the United Statestightened restrictions on Cuba’s oil suppliesin an effort to pressure the island’s government to change its political and economic model, exacerbating challenges that have persisted for about five years. The U.S. State Department did no…

People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) FILE - A U.S. and Cuban flag hangs on a wall in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, File) (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Cuba Daily Life 1 of 3 People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) HAVANA (AP) — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. The 176 measures aim to further decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy , which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at w…

People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) By Associated Press PUBLISHED: June 18, 2026 at 4:33 PM MDT | UPDATED: June 18, 2026 at 4:38 PM MDT Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s Communist Party has approved an emergency economic package featuring unprecedented free-market measures aimed at opening up the struggling island’s economy following heightened pressure from the United States. While the full document has not been released, here are some of the proposals, based on statements by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials. A worker unloads boxes of fruit at a state-run market in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorje Luis Banos) People walk past graffiti in the colors of the Cuban flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) A man works on a classic American car in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) People push a broken-down, classic American car past a pile of trash in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorge Luis Banos) Show C…

Cuban government plans to decentralize administration in economic ... Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced Friday a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. A fisherman prepares his fishing rod in front of the Colombian Navy ship ARC Caribe, docked at a pier in Havana, Cuba, after arriving with humanitarian aid, Friday, June 12, 2926. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) HAVANA (AP) — Cuban PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canelon Friday announced a package of economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, expanding participation by Cubans living abroad in the economy and decentralizing parts of the country’s administration. The president did not provide details about the measures or a timetable for their implementation but said during remarks to state media that it is now “time to change” and that the country “simply cannot continue on its current course.” “Every opportunity in the midst of a crisis must be seized as a moment for takeoff, as a moment for growth,” Díaz-Canel said, according to a statement from the presidency that was republished by stat…

Cuba leader admits 'urgent changes' needed to overcome crisis Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel attends an Act of Solidarity with Venezuela, in Havana on October 17, 2025. (Photo: AFP) Latest News , Regional June 18, 2026 Cuba leader admits ‘urgent changes’ needed to overcome crisis HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — Cuba’s communist model needs “urgent changes” to overcome a major crisis which cannot be solely blamed on a crippling United States (US) oil blockade, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his frankest admission yet of the need for radical reforms. “The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes,” Diaz-Canel told the Communist Party party’s politburo in remarks broadcast on Thursday, Diaz-Canel was speaking at a meeting called to fast-track reforms aimed at boosting the private sector and attracting more capital from millions of Cubans who have fled the crisis abroad. The proposals are part of a desperate, eleventh-hour bid to stave off economic collapse in the face of unprecedented US pressure. Diaz-Canel cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba’s economy to the world in order to “create economic wealth and distribute it equally”. Some of the reforms “will …

Cuba leader admits 'urgent changes' needed to overcome crisis - RFI Cuba leader admits 'urgent changes' needed to overcome crisis Havana (AFP) – Cuba's communist model needs "urgent changes" to overcome a major crisis which cannot be solely blamed on a crippling US oil blockade, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in his frankest admission yet of the need for radical reforms. Issued on: 18/06/2026 - 17:18 2 min Reading time People board a private vehicle transporting passengers on the outskirts of Havana -- new restrictions on transport in Cuba are coming into force amid a severe fuel shortage © YAMIL LAGE / AFP Advertising Read more "The situation calls for urgent and necessary changes," Diaz-Canel told the Communist Party party's politburo in remarks broadcast on Thursday, Diaz-Canel was speaking at a meeting called to fast-track reforms aimed at boosting the private sector and attracting more capital from millions of Cubans who have fled the crisis abroad. The proposals are part of a desperate, eleventh-hour bid to stave off economic collapse in the face of unprecedented US pressure. Diaz-Canel cited China and Vietnam as possible models for opening Cuba's economy to the wor…

Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms in biggest economic ... A fisherman prepares his fishing rod in front of the Colombian Navy ship ARC Carib in Havana, Cuba, on June 12, 2026. Ramon Espinosa / AP Photo Share Add NBC News to Google June 19, 2026, 8:34 PM EDT / Source : The Associated Press By The Associated Press HAVANA — Observers on Friday called Cuba’s new free-market reforms the most sweeping economic overhaul of the island’s communist economy since the Cuban revolution, as the grandson of former President Raúl Castro said in an interview that Cuba must seek to move its economy forward. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. The 176 measures aim to further decentralize Cuba’s state-run economy, which has been left gasping by a tightened embargo under President Donald Trump. Under the island’s current economic model, the government largely determines what is produced, who produces it, the prices at which goods are sold and how the country’s resources are allocated. The plan includes more space for private businesses, imports and exports without state intermediation , free hiring of personnel, authorizat…