Oscar Espinosa Chepe

A short note in the Granma was published on June 5^th : “The State Council upon the recommendation of its President, and after the consultations with the Political Bureau of the Party, decided to dismiss a comrade Francisco Soberon Valdes, the Minister and President of the Cuban Central Bank. (…) The Comrade Soberon asked also to accept his resignation from membership in the Central Committee of the Party and the membership in the State Council after 48 years of his work, so that he could dedicate himself to writing and to conducting the research on international finances in order to put the results of this work at the disposal of the Cuban government and Communist Party. He also affirmed his willingness to keep cooperating in any task assigned to him by Fidel and Raul.”

This extremely peculiar and spectacular resignation of the president of the Cuban Central Bank is taking place in more than critical moment for the Cuban finances when the government faces serious difficulties in paying off its suppliers. It is possible the economy will recede to the worst moments of the Special Period.

Unexpected escape of the “alleged tsar” of the Cuban banking must have serious reasons since it is happening in such special circumstances.  It deepens so far diminished prestige of the Cuban finances. Moreover, it is happening when it is that difficult to get a credit due to the complicated financial condition in Cuba and the world economic crisis. What feel the creditors who, apart from the fact that they cannot get their money back, find out that the president of the Central Bank of the indebted country ducks out carelessly. This incident will definitely increase the lack of confidence in the Cuban market.

According to the Granma, after the resignation that is motivated by Mr. Soberon’s thrive to become a new Karl Marx of the 21^st century, the economic and political situation in Cuba demonstrates the more decreasing tendencies. There are quite probable additional cracks in the so far impaired government structure, significantly stricken by the growing crisis and by the government’s aversion to essential reforms. We need to have in mind that this unexpected dismissal of Soberon is taking place a few weeks after the lay off of “unworthy” Mr. Lage and Mr. Perez Roque. These three figures along with other dignitaries had formed the commission responsible for the government of Cuba at the end of July 2006 when the former president Fidel Castro became severely sick.

The bizarre dismissal of the former minister in the country where usually resignations are not accepted, questions the future of the nation in which the crisis is deepening. If the containers with foreign goods are currently received only in the ports of Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba, as the TV says, then this minute import will be reduced drastically soon too.

At the same time the pitiable national production chokes as for the luck of energy what is seen in the reductions of inefficient transport services and in the interruptions in providing the electricity. These practices will lead to decrease of consumption of the energy suppliers at a rate of 12 per cent. In this climate of uncertainty and lack of trust one thing is sure: the life standard of the Cubans will decrease too.

Translated by AG