Putin to Bailout Cuba, What a Delicacy!

The Cuban government seems to have found the oxygen it needed in the face of the country’s economic suffocation and the growing discontent of the people. Putin’s Russia agreed to do the bailout, but not free of cost.

Since March 2023, there has been a coming and going of high-ranking officials between Havana and Moscow, including the Vice President of the Russian Government, Dmitri Chernyshenko. After the last meeting of the Russian-Cuban Intergovernmental Cooperation Commission, the new agreements (at least a part) became known.

For the island, where everything is lacking (fuel, food, medicines) there will be businesses and investments from fifty Russian companies and a dozen agreements in the construction, digitization, banking, sugar production, transport and tourism sectors.

For Russia, in addition to a political ally (which ae scarce after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the increasing sanctions of the West), Cuba is a door to other alliances in Latin America while receiving preferential treatment that includes the use of Cuban lands for a period of 30 years.

It is not surprising that this week’s memes augur the return of Russian language courses on the University for All program, and show the ruble competing with the euro and the dollar for a space on the Cuban streets.

The rest of the attention this week on social networks was captured by the Buena Fe controversy. The duo, on tour in Spain, had at least two confrontations with the Cuban exiles and several of their presentations were cancelled.

While the Government in Havana, including Díaz-Canel, have put the media at their disposal to denounce the “fascist attacks” against the members of Buena Fe, part of the Cubans defend the boycott as a legitimate form of protest. Israel Rojas, leader of the group, has justified on several occasions the repression unleashed by the Cuban regime. In recent days, he said he did not know who the political prisoners in Cuba were.

And besides, Buena Fe (whose concerts are being suspended in Spain), could give a concert every once in a while in Moscow.

We don’t have any money, but we wish you Good Faith (Buena Fe).

This article was translated into English from the original in Spanish.