Cuba establishes National Institute to restructure state enterprises

The Cuban government published Decree 144/2026 in the Gaceta Oficial, formally creating the Instituto Nacional de Activos Empresariales Estatales (INAEE). Subordinated to the Council of Ministers, the institute is tasked with advising, proposing, implementing and controlling policies that modernize, restructure and develop the state-owned enterprise sector, aiming to reduce bureaucracy and improve autonomy.

Minister of Economy and Planning Joaquín Alonso Vázquez said the institute will coordinate with central administrations, refine the regulatory framework, and oversee the separation of state and enterprise functions. Roberto Ricardo Marrero was appointed as INAEE president. The measure follows a broader package of 176 economic reforms intended to liberalize Cuba’s economy amid a deep energy and financial crisis and heightened U.S. sanctions.

Analysts warn that while the institute could accelerate restructuring, it also risks triggering bankruptcies in a fragile economic environment already marked by chronic power outages and declining output.