Cuba’schangingenvironment. Impacts on the Cuba - CARICOM relationship
Las actuales transformaciones en Cuba y sus efectos en las relaciones Cuba-CARICOM
Autor
Jacqueline Laguardia Martínez; Institute of International Relations at The University of the West Indies
Institución
Resumen
Abstract In 2011 Cuba approved a new economic policy with the purpose of re-launching its economy while preserving the main social achievements of the socialist model. The bet is high enough to raise doubts and questions around the success of such a major economic transformation. The reality is that, in spite of fears and resistances against the “updating” of the Cuban economic model, domestic changes are mandatory in order to build up a prosper and sustainable socialism, idea that President Raúl Castro has promoted as the core and key goal of the socioeconomic changes. The paper explores the current relations of Cuba and the CARICOM countries as well as the expected changes this relationship may undergo in the near future as a result of Cuban economic updating Resumen En 2011 Cuba aprobó una nueva política económica con el objetivo de relanzar su economía sin comprometer los principales logros sociales asociados a su modelo socialista. La apuesta es lo suficientemente ambiciosa como para generar dudas sobre la posibilidad real de instrumentar con éxito una transformación socioeconómica de tales dimensiones. Lo cierto es que, a pesar de los temores y resistencias a la “actualización” del modelo económico cubano, los cambios internos son obligatorios con el fin de construir un socialismo “próspero y sostenible”, idea que el presidente Raúl Castro ha promovido como objetivo central de los cambios. El artículo analiza las relaciones de Cuba y los países del CARICOM en el contexto de la cambiante realidad cubana actual y examina las posibles modificaciones que esta relación podría experimentar en un futuro próximo como consecuencia de la actualización económica cubana. Abstract In 2011 Cuba approved a new economic policy with the purpose of re-launching its economy while preserving the main social achievements of the socialist model. The bet is high enough to raise doubts and questions around the success of such a major economic transformation. The reality is that, in spite of fears and resistances against the “updating” of the Cuban economic model, domestic changes are mandatory in order to build up a prosper and sustainable socialism, idea that President Raúl Castro has promoted as the core and key goal of the socioeconomic changes. The paper explores the current relations of Cuba and the CARICOM countries as well as the expected changes this relationship may undergo in the near future as a result of Cuban economic updating.