Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel Announces Reform Package Amid US Sanctions

Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel told state television that a sweeping reform package will be presented to the Communist Party’s Political Bureau and later to the National Assembly. The measures aim to decentralise the economy, cut the number of ministries from 27 to 20, give farms more flexibility, end mandatory state‑run trade, lift vehicle‑import restrictions and gradually end product subsidies. The package also seeks to attract foreign investment and expand tourism by allowing new operators in the hotel sector.

At the same time, the United States announced a new sanctions set targeting Cuba’s state oil company, restricting oil shipments and warning firms that do business with Havana of secondary penalties. Cuban officials say the sanctions threaten fuel, electricity, transport, food and medicine supplies. Tourism has already fallen sharply – foreign arrivals in the first four months of the year dropped 55.8% year‑on‑year to 328,608, with only about 30,000 visitors in April.

Díaz‑Canel framed the reforms as a response to economic challenges rather than a reaction to U.S. pressure, emphasizing a message of “unity and solidarity” as Cuba confronts the embargo and the pandemic’s lingering effects.