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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Cuban President Miguel
Díaz-Canel Sits Down With “The Nation”</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">D.D.
Guttenplan and Katrina vanden Heuvel</div>
<div class="gmail-meta-data">
<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time">October 28, 2023<br>
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<p>In late September, <em>The Nation</em>’s publisher,
Katrina vanden Heuvel, and its editor, D.D.
Guttenplan, met with Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel
for an exclusive interview in New York. </p>
<p>It was the president’s first-ever interview in the
United States. They discussed the economic crisis
facing his island nation, the future of its socialist
model, and the impact of continued hostility from
Washington.</p>
<div>
<p><span>D.D. Guttenplan:</span><strong> You are the
first Cuban president born after the Revolution.
What does the Revolution mean today? </strong></p>
<p><span>Miguel Díaz-Canel:</span> First, I would like
to thank you for doing this interview, which is
taking place on the occasion of this visit we have
made as part of the Cuban delegation to the 78th
session of the United Nations General Assembly. I
thank you for allowing me to address the American
public, especially the millions of Latinos and
Cubans who live in the United States.</p>
<p>My generation was born with the Revolution. I was
born in 1960 and celebrated my first birthday the
day after the victory at Playa Girón [Bay of Pigs].
The birth and life of the revolution marked my
generation. </p>
<p>From a young age, we were motivated to get involved
in all the opportunities afforded us by the
Revolution: to improve ourselves, acquire knowledge,
partake in culture, science, and sports, and enjoy
access to healthcare. We were also aware of the need
to fulfill our duties and not just be the recipient
of rights but also address the challenges the
country was facing.</p>
<p>Of course, the Revolution has gone through
different stages. My childhood memories are of very
complicated years. Later, we enjoyed a period of
greater economic ease in the ’70s and ´80s, when we
had closer relations with the socialist camp and, in
particular, with the Soviet Union. Then came the
Special Period, which was another challenging time.
</p>
<p>From 2000 onward, the country entered a <a
href="https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/work-document/an-overview-of-the-cuban-economy-the-transformations-underway-and-the-prospective-challenges-it-faces-wp/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="new economic growth phase - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">new economic growth phase</a>
and the outlook improved. Today, however, we find
ourselves in a situation you have yourself described
as “complex.” International relations are
complicated in such an uncertain world, especially
with the problems brought on by the pandemic.<br>
As the representative of an entire generation that
has come to assume the responsibilities of political
life and government, I feel an enormous commitment
to the Revolution, to the Cuban people, and to Fidel
[Castro] and Raúl [Castro], who have been visionary
leaders to whom we owe our gratitude and
recognition.</p>
<p>We define ourselves as a continuity generation,
although not a generation of linear continuity.
Continuity does not mean a lack of transformation,
but just the opposite: a dialectical continuity, so
that, as we transform, advance, and try to perfect
our society as much as possible, we do not abandon
our convictions about building socialism in our
country with as much social justice as possible.<br>
That is our lifelong commitment and vision. It
requires great effort, achievement, and altruism,
and this demands much from us, especially under
difficult circumstances.</p>
<p><span>Katrina vanden Heuvel:</span><strong> There
are many young people in Cuba today. In that
context, I wonder how you envision the future of
the Cuban economy. The blockade is brutal, of
course, yet there is also a sense among young
people that, without change, they may not see
their future in Cuba.</strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> There is something unique about
the current moment. We have been living under a <a
href="https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/cuba/2022-02-02/cuba-embargoed-us-trade-sanctions-turn-sixty"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="blockade - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">blockade</a> since we were
born. For example, my generation, that of the 1960s,
was born with the blockade. Our children and
grandchildren— I have grandchildren— have grown up
under the sign of the blockade. However, the
blockade changed significantly in the second half of
2019. It became even harsher than before.</p>
<p>The new, harsher blockade was the result of two
factors. One was the application of more than <a
href="https://jacobin.com/2022/03/us-blockade-embargo-cuba-sanctions-russia"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="243 measures - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">243 measures</a> by the
Trump administration, which strengthened the
blockade by <a
href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/latamcaribbean/2021/08/06/if-the-us-really-cared-about-freedom-in-cuba-it-would-end-its-punishing-sanctions/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="internationalizing - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">internationalizing</a> it
and applying for the first time <a
href="https://www.ibanet.org/article/872A709E-49DE-4153-92C7-798FA9A88196"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="Chapter Three of the Helms-Burton Act - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">Chapter Three of the
Helms-Burton Act</a>. In doing so, they cut off
our access to foreign capital, international
convertible currencies and <a
href="https://horizontecubano.law.columbia.edu/news/us-restrictive-policies-cuban-remittances-effects-cuban-families-and-emerging-private-sector"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="remittances - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">remittances</a>; North
Americans could <a
href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/what-travelers-need-to-know-about-trumps-cuba-restrictions"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="no longer visit - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">no longer visit</a> Cuba,
and they placed financial pressure on banks and
financial groups that had business with Cuba. </p>
<p>And to top it all off, nine or ten days before
leaving office in January 2021, Trump <a
href="https://cu.usembassy.gov/u-s-announces-designation-of-cuba-as-a-state-sponsor-of-terrorism/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="included us on a bogus list - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">included us on a bogus list</a>
that says Cuba is a country that supports
terrorism—which is absolutely false. The whole world
knows about Cuba’s humanist vocation and about how
we contribute to peace. We don’t send the military
anywhere; we send doctors. And even then, when we
send our doctors abroad to act in solidarity and
provide services to other parts of the world, the
United States <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-trafficking/u-s-says-cuban-medical-missions-are-trafficking-doctors-idUSKBN1WC00X"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="claims - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">claims</a> that we are
actually involved in human trafficking.</p>
<p>At the same time, just as the economic situation
was worsening, Covid-19 hit and <a
href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-caribbean-social-media-50d104fb0e905aa8bc1c09fc499e24f0"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="greatly affected Cuba - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">greatly affected Cuba</a>,
as it did everywhere. However, during the Covid-19
pandemic, the United States government acted in a
perverse manner and <a
href="https://press.un.org/en/2022/ga12465.doc.htm#:~:text=During%20the%20pandemic%2C%20the%20blockade,medical%20brigades%20to%20provide%20aid"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="tightened the blockade - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">tightened the blockade</a>.
I single out the government and not the people of
the United States because we have deep respect and
bonds of friendship with the people of the United
States.</p>
<p>I believe that the US government thought the
Revolution would not survive that moment. The <a
href="https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article-abstract/122/841/56/195142/Cuba-s-Pandemic-Crisis?redirectedFrom=fulltext"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="pandemic - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">pandemic</a> peaked at a
very high level in Cuba and lasted for the better
part of 2021. When it began in 2020, we still didn’t
have vaccines or even the possibility of obtaining
the vaccine.</p>
<p>Then, there was a <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/main-cuban-oxygen-plant-fails-amid-covid-19-surge-2021-08-15/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="breakdown - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">breakdown</a> at the
medical oxygen plant in Cuba. We ran out of oxygen
and the US government was putting pressure on
companies in the Caribbean and Central America to
not supply us with oxygen. We also had to expand the
intensive care wards, and the US government
responded by <a
href="https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/online-exclusives/u-s-economic-sanctions-on-cuba-in-the-context-of-the-pandemic-covid-19"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="pressuring - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">pressuring</a> companies
that manufactured and marketed ventilators not to
supply Cuba.</p>
<p>The situation was critical and came with a huge
media campaign to discredit the Cuban Revolution. We
turned to our health system—an efficient, free, and
high-quality system that considers health a
right—and we turned to our scientists, especially
younger ones. Our scientists designed the
ventilators and developed <a
href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/latamcaribbean/2021/03/31/cubas-five-covid-19-vaccines-the-full-story-on-soberana-01-02-plus-abdala-and-mambisa/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="five vaccine candidates - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">five vaccine candidates</a>,
of which three are today recognized for their
efficacy. And that saved the country. However, we
emerged from the pandemic with many problems, many
of them accumulated since before 2019.</p>
<p>We have shortages of <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/rare-doctors-outcry-highlights-cubas-covid-crisis-growing-dissent-2021-08-18/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="medicines - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">medicines</a>, <a
href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/cuba-economy-milk-shortage/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="food - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">food</a>, and <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-warns-worsening-blackouts-fuel-crisis-bites-2023-09-28/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="fuel - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">fuel</a>. We experience
prolonged blackouts that harm the population and
directly impact people’s lives, particularly the
youth. I believe that our education process has
impressed on the youth the importance of the
situation we are going through. Still, we, as a
generation, have an enormous challenge: to ensure
that this momentary <a
href="https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2023/10/12/1203610907/the-farewell-generation-a-look-into-the-cuban-youth-exodus-through-love-stories#:~:text=Record%20numbers%20of%20Cubans%20fled,80s%20and%20%2790s%2C%20combined"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="distancing of the Cuban youth - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">distancing of the Cuban
youth</a>—young people born during the Special
Period who have lived all these years in a really
difficult economic and social situation—does not
lead to an ideological rupture with the Revolution
and with the country itself.</p>
<p>It is true that there is a <a
href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/10/world/americas/cuba-us-migration.html"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="greater migration - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">greater migration</a> than
at other times. But that has occurred <a
href="https://journals.openedition.org/plc/464?lang=en#tocto2n2"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="periodically - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">periodically</a> in the
history between Cuba and the United States. The most
intense migratory events have always been associated
with periods in which the United States has applied
aggressive policies that have worsened the Cuban
economic situation. By means of the <a
href="https://guides.loc.gov/latinx-civil-rights/cuban-adjustment-act#:~:text=The%20bipartisan%20Cuban%20Adjustment%20Act,for%20at%20least%20one%20year"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="Cuban Adjustment Act - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">Cuban Adjustment Act</a>
[of 1966] and other measures, the United States has
favored illegal, unsafe, and disorderly immigration
of Cubans—while not extending those policies to
emigrants from other countries.</p>
<p>I learned a lot when we overcame the pandemic; I
came to understand the way Cubans resist as a form
of creative resistance. To resist creatively means
not just to resist by staying in place but to move
forward by creating and taking advantage of the
talent and strength of our people to overcome
adversities. One example of that were the vaccines.
Only five [other] countries in the world were able
to develop vaccines, and all of them are developed
countries. Cuba is the only developing country that
was able to do that, and also with impressive
indicators of <a
href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="0.76 mortality - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">0.76 mortality</a>. Cuba
has <a
href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/covid-vaccination-doses-per-capita"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="applied - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">applied</a> more doses of
vaccines per capita during the pandemic than any
other country.</p>
<p>We are one of 20 countries with <a
href="https://salud.msp.gob.cu/actualizacion-de-la-vacunacion-en-el-marco-de-los-estudios-de-los-candidatos-vacunales-cubanos-y-la-intervencion-sanitaria/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="over ninety percent - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">over ninety percent</a> of
the population completely vaccinated against Covid.
And we were just the second country in the world to
<a
href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/world/americas/cuba-children-vaccine.html"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="apply vaccines to pediatric populations - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">apply vaccines to pediatric
populations</a> two years of age and older. These
forms of creative resistance are now being carried
over into other areas of the economy and social
life, to overcome the blockade with our efforts,
talent, and labor.</p>
<p>We are increasingly involving our youth in that
effort and offering them greater space for social
participation. As a result, young people can see
that it is possible to have life goals that coincide
with the social project defended by the Revolution.
Of course, there are those who migrate, but the
majority of young people are in Cuba, working in the
areas I’ve mentioned and others. They are the ones
leading our scientific development. Young people are
involved in the country’s main productive and
economic activities. They are the ones who drive the
digital transformation of society, the
standard-bearers for social, political, and
institutional communication. They are the ones that
convince us of the need to work for the continuity
of the Revolution.</p>
<p><span>DDG:</span><strong> I want to pick up on two
things that you said, Mr. President. One is the
cyclical nature of what you call the emigration
from Cuba and the way in which that, in your view,
responds to harsher sanctions. If I understand
your argument, the US imposes harsher sanctions,
which sends more people out of the country. Do you
feel that that’s something that the Biden
administration can do anything about? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> We don’t expect too much to
change with the Biden administration. We still have
a diplomatic relationship with the United States;
there is an American embassy in Cuba and a Cuban
embassy in the United States. Relations were <a
href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/world/americas/us-cuba-relations.html"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="reestablished - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">reestablished</a> during
Obama’s term, which was a completely different
policy from the one implemented by Trump which Biden
has <a
href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/19/cuban-americans-biden-administration-adds-cuba-sanctions-506319"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="maintained - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">maintained</a>. I highlight
it because, even if it was a Republican president
who applied a policy of maximum pressure on Cuba, it
is a Democratic president who maintains that policy.</p>
<p>Through direct and indirect channels, we have let
the Biden administration know that we are willing to
sit down to discuss our problems, including
immigration to the US. But that has to be done from
a position of equality, respect, and with no strings
attached. We have not received any response from the
US. Therefore, we do not feel like there is any
intention on the part of this administration to work
with us.</p>
<p>However, we do aspire to maintain a civilized
relationship between the two countries, regardless
of our ideological differences. Until that moment
comes, we will continue to work to overcome that
situation by ourselves. We are working to guarantee
that young people are not subject to deception,
manipulation, or misrepresentation about what kind
of opportunities are available to them. Young people
get caught up in a completely disorderly and illegal
migratory flow—falling into <a
href="https://www.npr.org/2023/09/05/1197617372/cuba-dismantles-human-trafficking-ring-recruiting-for-russias-war-in-ukraine"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="human trafficking schemes - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">human trafficking schemes</a>—as
they leave Cuba legally, only to become illegal in
transit to the United States.</p>
<p>There is a lot of talk about Cuban migration,
especially young Cuban migrants, but the fact is
that migration affects all countries, and those
migrating are generally young, able-bodied people
with dreams.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> You see small shops,
private hotels, and restaurants in Cuba. How far
do you believe you can go with this process within
the framework of socialism? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> We aspire to be a socialist
economy guaranteeing the greatest possible social
justice. We have to build, strengthen, and develop
this socialist economy without forgetting the
conditions of the world in which we live, which is
full of uncertainties and complexities, a world
where the gap between rich and poor is widening and
where the countries of the South have many
disadvantages.</p>
<p>Still, we will never give up on our ideal of
socialism. But how do we do that with current
conditions being what they are—including with the
blockade and problems internal to Cuba? We defend
the socialist economy as the way to achieve greater
social justice, while we also defend greater
efficiency, greater autonomy, and better performance
of the socialist state enterprise, that is, the
public enterprise within our social economic model.</p>
<p>We have also <a
href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55967709"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="opened - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">opened</a> up a private,
non-state sector of the economy as a complement to
the state sector. On the one hand, there is a single
entrepreneurial system, where there is one actor—the
state enterprise—which today has the ownership and
management of the main means of production; and
there is a second non-state actor that also
contributes to the development of the country, the
national GDP, and absorbs part of the labor force.</p>
<p>Lately, we have witnessed a very interesting
development: these non-state enterprises are
beginning to link up with the state sector. For
example, under blockade conditions, our state
enterprises are unable to use their productive
capacity to the maximum. However, the non-state
sector, which has more possibilities to import
despite the blockade, links up with that state
entity, and together, they develop productive
activities and services that ultimately benefit the
people.</p>
<p>We aspire to give the Cuban people the prosperity
that they deserve for all the heroism they have
shown in resisting the blockade for all these years.
How will we do that? With a concept of socialist
construction that includes a state sector and a
private sector. It is a challenge, but we are going
to achieve it.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> I had the good fortune to
see former Foreign Minister Alarcón a week before
he passed, and what he was most enthralled about
were the changes in the region. Just the other
day, Lula was in Cuba for a major gathering. The
region seems to be moving in a more pink and less
right-wing direction. Does that give Cuba more
space to make changes or perhaps even recreate the
nonaligned movement for a new era? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> We defend the principle of Latin
American and Caribbean integration. We also defend
the principle that Latin America and the Caribbean
should be a zone of peace. We have <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-seeks-stronger-eu-celac-relations-condemns-eus-manipulative-behavior-2023-07-10/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="relations - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">relations</a> with all the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.</p>
<p>We cooperate and collaborate with several countries
that have requested our professional or technical
services, among them our <a
href="https://time.com/5467742/cuba-doctors-export-brazil/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="medical brigades - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">medical brigades</a> and
other specialists in branches like engineering. We
try to work to develop trade relations. Also, when
we participate in cooperation missions, we learn
about those countries, which helps our own
development.</p>
<p>Latin America is a very favorable place for
progressive movements despite an ultra-right-wing
current trying to undermine these processes. We have
strong relationships with Venezuela, Nicaragua,
Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina, and those relations
are being strengthened. Brazil is almost a continent
within Latin America and one of the most important
economies. We had extensive commercial and bilateral
<a
href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-cuba-diplomacy-politics-economics-g77-summit-c5248ea57b9fd2bd82a9bb99c2ae25c0"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="exchange - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">exchange</a> under Lula’s
and then Dilma’s governments. When these progressive
governments take power, they also open up new
possibilities for our country.</p>
<p>Cuba <a
href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/08/25/cuba-colombia-farc-peace-deal/87432410/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="sponsored - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">sponsored</a> the peace
process in Colombia, which has helped and
contributed to peace throughout the whole continent.
The Final Agreement to that peace process was signed
in Havana a few years ago. Cuba has developed a
coherent foreign policy based on cooperation and
collaboration with other countries, of sharing what
we have in a very altruistic way. When Covid hit, we
shared our vaccines to the Caribbean and Latin
American countries that asked for them.</p>
<p><span>DDG:</span><strong> Mr. President, you spoke
about Cubans in foreign countries. Of course, we
all know the long, distinguished history of Cuban
doctors providing health services around the
world. But some of us in the US were surprised by
the recent headlines about Cubans in Ukraine being
recruited to fight. I wonder if you could explain
your government’s response to the situation. </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> First of all, our position
regarding the war in Ukraine is that we are a
country of peace. We uphold international law and
the United Nations Charter. We do not like wars. We
do not celebrate wars, and we do not support wars.
It hurts us when human lives are lost on one side or
the other, and we believe that dialogue and
diplomatic solutions should be sought to end this
war.</p>
<p>We are not part of the war in Ukraine, but we
discovered through our investigations that an <a
href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/08/world/americas/cuba-arrests-russia-ukraine-war.html"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="illegal network - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">illegal network</a> was
hiring Cubans living in Russia and some living in
Cuba to fight on the Russian side. Our Penal Code
prohibits mercenaries, and we do consider this a
case of mercenarism as well as human trafficking.
Therefore, when we gathered all the evidence from
that investigation, we informed the involved parties
and publicly reported what had happened. Thanks to
our close relations with Russia, both parties have
been able to work in order to eliminate the illegal
trafficking of people that turns them into
mercenaries. I can certify that Cuba is not part of
the war and that if we again discover an illegal
trafficking ring like the one we saw, we would
report it and act to stop it.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> In the interest of
clarity about Cuba’s position on the Ukraine War,
have you tried to play a role in any offer of
cease-fire? What is the Cuban government’s
position on the Ukraine war? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> We insist on using all
international mechanisms and spaces for
dialogue—there must be a solution through dialogue
and diplomatic relations. The problem is that there
are efforts to distort reality and impose a warped
framework. For us, the United States government
motivated the war by not listening to Russia’s
grievances and warnings about the danger posed by
the extension of NATO’s borders towards Russia. The
United States, in my opinion, manipulated the
situation. The conflict also involved many European
countries, to the point that it is not a war between
Ukraine and Russia but a NATO-Russia conflict.</p>
<p>Who is paying for this war? It comes from the
budgets of the countries involved in the war, so the
inhabitants of those countries are the ones paying.
But it also harms those who are uninvolved but still
see the consequences of this war. Problems with
grain exports and food markets have shown how this
impacts the world. We object to the war, as well,
based on our humanist convictions that human lives
are being sacrificed in the conflict.</p>
<p>But we believe that the United States has an
enormous responsibility in this conflict. They have
been able to distort the true essence of the war and
then tried to appear as if they were the ones who
were in the correct position. I believe that the
correct response to end the war is by diplomatic
means. There have to be objective guarantees of
security in place for all the parties. I believe
that with intelligence and sensitivity, we could all
support the search for a solution rather than
stoking the war and adding fuel to the flames of
conflict.</p>
<p><span>DDG:</span><strong> You spoke earlier of
socialist construction. I want to push you a
little bit on the question about what balance you
see in the future between the private sector and
the state. During the Special Period, the subsidy
from the Soviet Union was essentially cut off, and
that was very difficult for the people of Cuba,
particularly because of the blockade. However, the
problem of socialist construction has not been
solved in Cuba, nor has it in China, where they
had to expand the private sector in order to raise
the level of daily life. What is the balance you
aim for between the private sector and the state
going forward? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> The fact that there is a private
sector in a socialist economy does not negate
socialism. Even the Marxist classics—or Lenin’s own
practice within the Soviet revolution—conceived that
there are periods of transition where a private
sector will be present within the socialist
construction. Recognizing a private sector does not
in any way mean that we are renouncing socialism.
Why? Because the greatest quantity and volume of the
fundamental means of production are still in the
hands of the state.</p>
<p>Those means of production can be managed in a
combination of state and non-state forms. For
example, in Cuba, more than <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/cuba-loosens-regulations-killing-cows-selling-beef-2021-04-14/"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="80 percent - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">80 percent</a> of the land
is state-owned. However, approximately 80 percent of
our land has been managed for years by <a
href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-agriculture/cuba-sweetens-land-grant-program-for-farmers-idUSKBN1KS1R5"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="private farmer cooperatives - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">private farmer cooperatives</a>.
This does not mean that we have stopped building
socialism.</p>
<p>Where the economy is concerned, we feel
dissatisfied with certain aspects of the current
economic performance. But which has been the reality
of the Cuban economy? A war economy that has had to
face a blockade from the most powerful country in
the world. We have to see what we would have
achieved without the blockade. Of course, we also
try to find ways to improve ourselves. When I say I
am dissatisfied with the performance of the Cuban
economy, I am referring to the fact that we still
cannot produce the goods and services that would
give our people full prosperity. But that same war
economy is what has guaranteed free and high-quality
state-subsidized healthcare and education, as well
as access to culture and sports free of charge.
Cuban professionals, even those who emigrate, are
competitive in the labor markets in capitalist
countries.</p>
<p>Cuba has an incredible system of social care that
leaves no one behind or unprotected. One might ask:
If people receive it for free, doesn’t that cost
money to the state? And who covers these state
expenses? Those expenses are covered by an economy
that, on the one hand, has been hit hard by the
blockade, but, on the other hand, has made major
social achievements that capitalist and more
developed countries have never done. Despite the
tightening of the blockade, Cuba’s health and
education indicators can be compared with those of
any developed country in the world.</p>
<p>Where do we go next? We have to be less dependent
on international circumstances. That is why we are
betting on the creative resistance of the Cuban
people, using our own effort and talent. We are
working on an economic and social development model
that will include a macroeconomic stabilization plan
to deal with inflation, the distortions we have in
the currency exchange market, and in prices.</p>
<p>We are betting on science and innovation as pillars
of government administration. Look at what we did
during the pandemic. We decided that, in order to
assert sovereignty, we needed Cuban vaccines, so we
designed a governance system based on science and
innovation. That idea was tested during Covid-19,
and now we have extended it to other areas of the
economy.</p>
<p>One of those areas is food sovereignty. We are
focusing on science and innovation to boost food
production so that Cuba does not have to import or
depend on external sources for food. We are also
changing the energy matrix of the country so that
there is less dependence on fossil fuels and a
greater use of renewable energy sources. We aspire
to have more than 24 percent of energy generated by
renewable sources by 2030.</p>
<p>Amid difficult circumstances, we are developing
social programs aiming to help populations and
families get out of vulnerable situations. We are
also embarking on a process of digital
transformation. All these actions combined will
deliver a much more stable present and future.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> About the digital
transformation, where is Cuba in your view in
terms of access to the internet? My understanding
was that there was a deal with US and European
companies that fell through, halting the movement
toward digital transformation. How do people get
their media? Do you get a briefing every morning?
I’m curious as to what media you look at. </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> I’m very active on <a
href="https://twitter.com/DiazCanelB"
target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"
aria-label="Twitter - Link opens in new tab"
moz-do-not-send="true">Twitter</a>. I think I have
more followers than anyone else in Cuba, although
I’m not certain.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> How many followers? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> They tell me I have around
760,000 followers on Twitter. We have started a
project for the digitalization of society, focusing
on two fundamental areas. The first is to develop
digital platforms like e-commerce and e-government
so that there would be a greater interconnection
between the population, government institutions, and
services, with greater democratic participation of
the population. We are also working on the legal
framework around electronic commerce. The blockade
has an impact on this because, in order to move
toward a digital society, you need financial
resources and technology. So, we have to create the
foundation for our digital infrastructure
independently.</p>
<p>With the help of China, we were able to move toward
the digitalization of television. As far as the
Internet is concerned, the last few years have seen
important advances. Already, more than 7 million
Cubans have access to the Internet through their
cell phones. In Cuba, and especially among the
youth, it is very common to see everyone connected
and actively working on social networks, even
though, as a result of the blockade, there are sites
and platforms that are denied to us.</p>
<p>There are times when one tries to update an
application or enter a site, or a scientist wants to
visit a research database, and they receive a
message saying, “Your country does not have access
to this site.” But we are making progress. We have
computer science programs in all the universities
throughout the country. We have also developed a
Cuban applications store called Apklis, and we are
also developing our own Cuban app systems. We have
an operating system developed by the Universidad de
las Ciencias Informáticas [University of Computer
Science], which is being used in laptops, tablets,
and cell phones that we are developing through a
joint project with China.</p>
<p>Teams of young Cubans have participated in
international computer programming events and have
obtained outstanding results. We have to keep moving
down this path of computerization for the following
reason: in Cuba, there is a smaller economically
active population, and that group has to support a
larger economically inactive population because our
population is aging at the same time that life
expectancy has increased due to our social programs.</p>
<p>In other words, even though we are an
underdeveloped country, we have a demographic
dynamic typical of developed countries; with fewer
people directly active in production and services,
we have to achieve more efficient results, and the
way to do so is through computerization, digital
transformation, and automation. We have developed
several popular programs to accomplish these goals.
For example, there is a Young Computer Club program:
institutions where children from a very young age
are introduced to computers and other communication
technologies. There are even courses for senior
citizens so that they are not excluded from the
whole process of digital transformation.</p>
<p>Of course, Cubans are also active on social
networks. I believe social networks can be an
instrument by means of which knowledge can be
managed, which is very important for humanity. We
aspire to create a country where people are not
distinguished by their material possessions, but by
their spirituality and by what they can contribute
to society and culture. What I condemn about social
networks are their manifestations of vulgarity,
banality, and the type of online bullying that does
so much harm, especially among young people.</p>
<p>I believe that the world also needs a more
comprehensive and united approach regarding Internet
governance. Cybersecurity issues are now an
important issue in the world, and Cuba is developing
its own cybersecurity platforms. Not to mention, the
challenges of artificial intelligence are not only
technological in nature but also bring important
social and ethical consequences. We have to achieve
a form of global governance of the Internet. We need
to build a world that is emancipatory and inclusive,
where the virtual and the physical are less distant
and where the Internet can help people find answers
to their problems.</p>
<p><span>DDG:</span><strong> On the subject of
culture, everybody knows that Cuba is a cultural
powerhouse in music, literature, and dance. Given
that digital culture doesn’t respect borders, do
you see any difference or change in your
government’s attitude towards Cubans who perhaps
are no longer living in Cuba but still feel very
proudly Cuban? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> This is the second time I have
been in the United States—once five years ago, and
now this time. Both times, I have come to
participate in sessions of the United Nations
General Assembly. During these visits, we have
always found some room to meet with representatives
of American culture. Yesterday afternoon, for
example, in this very place, we had one of those
meetings among American artists and academics, and
Cuban artists based in Cuba and in the United
States.</p>
<p>Like you, I have experienced the harmony that is
created when Cuban and American musicians can share
the stage. We have experienced it at jazz festivals
in Havana, which always close with an orchestra
combining Cuban and American musicians. The Cubans
bring to the original strengths of American jazz and
its virtuosity a certain latinidad.</p>
<p>Those are the kind of moments when one reaches a
new level of spiritual well-being. Today, culture is
one of the areas where bridges and not walls can be
built between Cuba and the United States. Through
cultural exchange, borders are broken down and our
people are united. Our people can share the values
of their history and culture.</p>
<p>A few years ago, during Obama’s time, the Kennedy
Center held an exhibition of Cuban culture in
Washington, D.C. That was a great event. Here, our
artists felt very comfortable. We wanted to bring
American artists to Cuba through a Kennedy Center
project, but everything fell through with Trump’s
restrictions. Still many contacts are maintained.
For example, we spent time yesterday with some
important Cuban musicians who have lived in the
United States for many years. They have not
abandoned their relationship with their country, and
we feel that their success is also the success of
Cuban culture. .</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> Is there an ongoing
dialogue with the Biden administration? And what
do you expect if Biden is reelected, in terms of
US and Cuban relations? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> You would have to ask Biden.
Right now, there are diplomatic relations. We have
conversations on some issues, but we have not seen a
willingness on the part of the Biden administration
to establish a different relationship with Cuba.</p>
<p>And we continue to insist on our vision. We are not
going to give up on socialist construction. But we
want a civilized, normal relationship between Cuba
and the United States. However, in order to build
that relationship, we have to sit down to talk. We
need to evaluate all the issues on which we have
different opinions and those on which we agree, and
those on which we have no agreement, try to make
progress. I believe that this would lead to a better
relationship and greater possibilities and potential
for our people. But we see no signs at the moment
that this is the attitude held by the government of
the United States.</p>
<p><span>KvH:</span><strong> One last question: have
you seen <em>Barbie</em> or <em>Oppenheimer</em>? </strong></p>
<p><span>MDC:</span> I haven’t seen <em>Oppenheimer</em>,
but I’ve been recommended to see it, and I will
soon. I’m interested in seeing <em>Oppenheimer</em>.
I’m less interested in seeing <em>Barbie</em>. It
seems to me that <em>Barbie</em> is very, very
light.</p>
<p><b><a
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O27S-17p360&t=6s"
moz-do-not-send="true">Watch interview on
youtube</a></b>
</p>
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