Cuba´s still mutky economic future

Resumen

Cuba today is on the verge of several dramatic changes. In the next few years, the two forces that have shaped Cuban politics and society over the past half-century—the leadership of Fidel and Raul Castro and the bitter hostility of the United States toward the island will have passed into history. And there is another disruptive element approaching--the impending collapse of the Venezuelan economy, which has been a vital source of revenue for Cuba since Chavez first took power in 1998. Indeed, while the opening with the US now holds out the promise for significant economic progress in Cuba, Venezuela’s downturn could provoke a humanitarian crisis in the short run. This is now a moment of great uncertainty for Cuba. It is not surprising that Cubans are apprehensive about what comes next, even those that are optimistic about the future and expect the country’s prospects to improve.