There are many lessons to be learned in this country during these difficult times 

(Shorthand versions - Office of the President of the Republic)

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel: Good morning. Greetings to all our people and especially to the representatives of the press, as we stand on the eve of Cuban Press Day, a tribute to José Martí’s founding of the newspaper Patria.

Today is Defense Day, and we have several activities to participate in as part of the overall defense preparedness program being carried out with popular participation during these difficult times we are experiencing. Therefore, today we are fully committed to training and a series of exercises; however, we also have a commitment to continue informing the public about current national events.

Remember that last month we held a press conference where we addressed issues regarding the country’s situation, and there we committed to systematically providing information on the matter in various forums.  Following the press conference I gave on that occasion, colleagues from the government leadership, deputy prime ministers, and ministers expanded upon the information we provided, and on that basis, a consensus was built through information and clarifications regarding the public’s concerns. Approximately one month has passed since that time when we had focused our attention, above all, on measures and actions implemented to address the energy blockade and fuel shortages.

Today we can confirm that no fuel ships have entered our country for more than three months and that we are working under very adverse conditions, which have an immeasurable impact on the lives of our entire people. Therefore, under these conditions, under the situation in which we are working, we wish to provide information and details regarding the adjustments we have had to make to the measures proposed at that time. These adjustments are necessitated by the prolonged nature of this economic blockade and the continued impact of being without fuel for such an extended period, and that is precisely the purpose of this meeting.

I would also like to clarify that this will be followed up on; in other words, we will not limit ourselves to addressing the questions the press may ask us today about the national situation, but rather, for each of the issues we discuss today, in this press conference, early this morning, will be followed up starting next Monday with appearances by the deputy prime ministers, ministers, and other government officials in various forums to address in detail any concerns, doubts, or expectations our people may have regarding the current issues discussed.  We will also hold another meeting like this at the appropriate time; as I have already mentioned, the intention is to make these a regular occurrence.

Thank you very much to our colleagues from the various media outlets who are here with us today for attending this meeting.  I believe we can move on to the question-and-answer session.

Arleen Rodríguez. -  Good morning, Mr. President, and to everyone present.

I think we can begin.  Legañoa had initially requested the floor.  Please go ahead, President of Prensa Latina.

Jorge Legañoa.-  Good morning, Mr. President, thank you very much again for this exchange with the press.

A few minutes ago, we saw on Cuban Television a statement you made that prompts the question I had prepared regarding the talks with the U.S. government, and you had just announced that a series of exchanges has begun.

My question is, since it has been announced that there are exchanges, if we are talking about a process of sustained dialogue, what would be the topics or the agenda, the roadmap in that regard, and the principles for that dialogue with the U.S. government?

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—It is an interesting and timely question; I believe this is the news the Cuban people have woken up to today, receiving it firsthand, and it will be further explored; but it is important, first of all—and Legañoa has been one of the people who has been speaking about the issue systematically—because we are reporting exactly where we stand in that process.  There has also been a lot of speculation, and as has always been the practice of the Revolution’s leadership, we do not have to respond to campaigns that seek to manipulate or stir up speculation, and we always report exactly where we stand.

These are processes that are conducted with great discretion; they are lengthy processes that must first be initiated by establishing contacts, ensuring there are avenues for dialogue, and confirming a willingness to engage—and all of that takes time. Only then can agendas be developed, negotiations begin, discussions take place, and agreements be reached—goals we are still far from achieving because we are in the early stages of this process.

I believe the answer to Legañoa lies precisely in what we explained yesterday at a meeting attended by the Political Bureau, the Secretariat, and the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, where we were assessing the current state of relations between Cuba and the United States. In conclusion, I reported what appeared in the press today, and therein lie the answers to the points raised by Legañoa.  Therefore, I will confirm that in accordance with the consistent policy that the Cuban Revolution has always pursued, under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief as the leader of our Revolution, and my own, and in consultation with the principal bodies of the Cuban Party, Government, and State, Cuban officials recently held talks with representatives of the United States Government to seek, through dialogue, a possible solution to the bilateral differences that exist between our two nations.

These exchanges have been facilitated by international actors, and I would like to pause here.  Whenever we have faced tense situations in our relations with the United States, efforts have emerged to seek channels for dialogue, to seek talks. This is not the first time Cuba has engaged in a conversation of this kind; I believe the most recent example was the way the Commander-in-Chief conducted the talks with President Obama very recently, and we all know the results of those talks.  Well, now a group of international actors has also facilitated the development of these exchanges.

What are the objectives we are pursuing with these talks, the objectives we have set for ourselves?

First, we must identify the bilateral issues that need to be resolved; second, we must determine the ways to resolve those issues; and third, we must assess whether there is a willingness on both sides to take concrete actions for the benefit of our peoples. This involves identifying areas of cooperation through which we can address threats and ensure the security and peace of both countries, as well as the security and peace of our region.

As I explained earlier, it has not been and will not be the practice of the Revolution to respond to speculative campaigns. This is a very sensitive process, which is approached with the discretion required at every moment; it is also approached with sensitivity, responsibility, and great seriousness, because it is an issue that affects bilateral ties and requires a fundamental, arduous, and tenacious effort to advance toward solutions. To this end, we must also build spaces for understanding that allow us to move forward in the process and, in addition, move away from confrontation.

In these exchanges, we have expressed our willingness to continue the process under the principles of equality and respect for the political systems of both countries, for sovereignty and self-determination; also taking into account the principle of reciprocity, and in accordance with international law. That is where we stand now in relation to the talks or dialogue with the United States.

Arleen Rodríguez.-  Randy Alonso, IDEAS Multimedios.

Randy Alonso.-  Greetings, President.

In addition to this news, which, of course, has already been making headlines since the information came out a few minutes ago, there are also domestic issues of interest to our people, and I believe the most urgent, the most pressing, has to do with the energy situation. That is, in recent days, the schedule of blackouts has increased, and we have had to face many contingencies.

What practical effects is this having on the country?  You mentioned that no fuel has entered the country for three months. What practical effects is the United States’ decision to tighten the energy blockade having on our economy and our society? How are we dealing with it? What alternatives do we have to somehow mitigate the increase in blackouts and the practical impact on all of Cuban society at this time?

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Undoubtedly, Randy, I would say that this is the issue causing the most unease and distress among our people right now, and it has to do—I insist—with the energy blockade and the worsening of our energy situation that this blockade has brought about. It is a situation for which we had been preparing in advance, and regarding that, we have outlined a whole set of proposals, actions, and measures that we are currently implementing.

But let’s talk about what has changed, for example, from the time I spoke at the previous hearing until now regarding this situation which, as you rightly pointed out, has worsened particularly over the last two weeks.

First of all, no fuel has entered the country for three months; therefore, we are generating electricity during the daytime using domestic crude oil and our thermoelectric plants, as well as the contribution from renewable energy sources, which is considerable and, as we have mentioned before, has ranged between 49% and 51% on a daily basis, depending on sunlight and also, which is another element I need to explain: how we can now manage, amid the instability of the national power system, that energy from the photovoltaic parks to regulate frequencies and prevent blackouts—which was a new element introduced in the last two weeks and I will explain it later—and Energas, which utilizes the associated gas from the extraction of our domestic crude oil. And at night, we are generating power solely with the thermoelectric plants and Energas.

Now, in addition to that, prior to last week, we had certain remaining supplies of fuel oil and diesel that we were using at two key sites for the national power system: the distributed generation engines we have in Moa and a system of engines we have in Mariel.  In three months without fuel supplies, the diesel and fuel oil run out; therefore, a considerable number of megawatts that we were generating—especially during peak hours and at night—are lost from that generation system, putting the system in a highly unstable situation.

Look, in January and February we had managed to keep blackout levels no higher than those in December; we had effectively controlled the situation with the strategies we had outlined. That doesn’t mean there were no blackouts—there were blackouts, and there were prolonged blackouts—but not on the scale we’ve seen in recent days.

With the shutdown of these two distributed generation plants—which are the only ones we have been able to use so far… Remember that we have restored and now have available more than 1,400 megawatts of distributed generation capacity that we have been unable to use all this time due to the lack of fuel, as a result of that energy blockade.  If we had fuel, we would have 1,400 megawatts more of generation during the night hours, which would get us through the peak; that is, at the peak there would be a deficit of 500, 600, 700 megawatts, but we could cover the nights and the early mornings, and the disruptions would be much less severe than what we are experiencing right now.

When these two distributed generation plants go offline, the system becomes very unstable, and on one occasion there was a sudden outage at the Antonio Guiteras plant; consequently, the oscillations caused by that outage at the Antonio Guiteras plant triggered the blackout.  As we recover from the blackout, there is a shortage of fuel at the island power plants to provide the signals needed to start up the thermoelectric plants, synchronize them, and even synchronize the photovoltaic farms. This is already being done using the minimum fuel reserves we had on-site, which were specifically set aside for situations like this.

We overcame the blackout, the Antonio Guiteras was brought back online, but since we are in an unstable situation, especially in terms of frequency variations… For example, recently in Havana a substation tripped, causing multiple circuits to go down at once. When that happens, people criticize us: “No, but why aren’t you able to spread out the blackout?”  No, what happens is that the blackout is exacerbated by unplanned situations and reaches such a large scale that by that point it’s very difficult, because every time there’s a switchover, you run the risk of causing oscillations as well.  And it is amidst this whole tangle of adversity and complexity that the situation and decisions regarding the power grid unfold.

In an unstable situation like this, we cannot fully utilize all the power or energy generated by the solar farms during the day, because we have to regulate the frequency of the national power grid by adjusting the connection of the solar farms to prevent another blackout.  These are the reasons why the current deficit is different from the deficit we had and managed in the past.

The impact is tremendous.  The impact is felt most brutally in these energy issues.  Here we have had power outages in municipalities—because the problem is not limited to Havana—and in the provinces we have had outages in towns and communities lasting more than 30 hours. This causes irritability, unease, and tremendous distress among the population, because it also affects everything else. It directly impacts our water supply and water pumping—two vital aspects of a home, a family, and family life—all at the same time.

But it affects the vitality of production and our ability to provide services to the population; it affects communications, because cell towers also lose power; it affects medical services; it affects education; it affects transportation. And so we can see how this has a far-reaching impact on all the daily activities of Cubans.

Now, I can tell you that nothing is being shut down here because we want to inconvenience anyone; on the contrary, we are doing the impossible. No one can imagine, I am unable to describe —and I can only speak from the perspective of feelings and respect— I have no words to describe the effort made by our workers at the Electric Union, who are titans; not only do they make this effort and rise above adversity, but they face problems at home and with their families, and often when there are 30 or 40 hours of blackouts in one of their communities, affecting their families, they have been working for more than 40 hours without rest at a thermoelectric plant, or at a photovoltaic park, or seeking a solution to a problem.  That is why —and I do not question this in the sense of not understanding the discontent— but it does bother me, and I regret that there are people who, in the midst of this discontent, which we recognize as legitimate, respond by insulting the Revolution, insulting the Government, or insulting the electric utility, because the fault does not lie with the Government, the fault does not lie with the Revolution, the fault does not lie with our national electric power system.  The Revolution, the Government, and the workers are making an effort to overcome the impossible! The blame lies with the energy blockade that has been imposed on us!

I would ask what capacity other countries would have, in the midst of an energy blockade like this one—which has now lasted more than three months—to maintain the levels of electricity generation that we have maintained.  This has only been possible through a very rational—and I would even say creative and innovative—use of our national crude oil, which is opening up new prospects; and, on the other hand, through all the investment the country has made with extraordinary effort, in the midst of these times of intensified blockade, which is bringing about a visible shift in the energy matrix.  Because, as I explained the other day, if we hadn’t had the 1,000 megawatts of photovoltaic energy during this time, what would be happening during the day, and how we’d be jumping from one blackout to another, and the impacts would be even greater.  Those are the reasons that explain the difference from what has happened in recent weeks.

We’re talking about that reality, we’re talking about that complexity; but I also want to talk about what we’re doing and where things are headed, understanding that not everything has an immediate solution, but there are solutions.  In fact, there are already solutions; the thing is, the magnitude of the problem is so great that they aren’t seen in their full scope, in their full contribution, and here I’ll share some data.

I want to focus on one issue so you can see the cruelty of this energy blockade. Right now, there are tens of thousands of people in the country waiting for surgery that cannot be performed due to the lack of electricity.  In recent days, the Minister of Public Health provided very relevant data.  But among those tens of thousands, there is a significant number of children waiting for surgery due to the impact this energy blockade has on our healthcare system, and yet the country is alive, the country is organized.

A failed state? A failed state that faces all these situations and seeks to resolve them, that also seeks to move forward?  I don’t recall if it was yesterday or perhaps earlier, but an article was published in Cubadebate by a journalist, Susana Tesoro, acknowledging the complexity; she also spoke of the beautiful things that happen in this country every day: children going to school, the way a patient with a complex illness is cared for in a hospital.

We are monitoring the work of the provinces every month, and we are already conducting the second review; we are currently reviewing what has happened in the provinces and how the provinces have been developing their strategies as of the end of February.

Comrades, the number of solutions being found, the way life is being organized: for bread, for providing culinary offerings, food offerings to the population; the way in which, despite all these limitations, work is being done in the Cuban countryside to produce more food; the way in which transportation for healthcare personnel has been organized; the way in which the school year is being conducted in both general and higher education; but, as Susana said, on the weekend I also go to a cultural event of the very highest caliber in my country.

These are our realities; these are also expressions of the fact that we have a people who act with creative resilience, that this keeps us united, and that in that unity there is also tremendous potential to face this situation.

So I’m going to talk about what has been accomplished, and take note: what has been accomplished in what I’m about to explain and in the data I’m going to present—which I don’t want to bore you with, but which above all show the continuity we’re giving to what we’ve already explained previously, though these are results from practically just one month.  In other words, let’s also consider that if we’ve made this much progress in one month, how much more progress will we make in the remaining months. And allow me to go over some data.

The development of new wells is increasing to boost domestic production of oil and associated gas, and in the first two months of the year, production targets for oil and associated gas were exceeded. This has halted a trend that had been occurring in the country, where we ended 2025 with declining production and failing to meet domestic oil and gas production targets. This is very important; remember that one of our energy priorities is that we must learn to live off our own resources, and one of our resources is that domestic crude oil and associated gas.

With the increase in domestic crude oil, we will have more crude to power our thermoelectric plants.  It is important because, as part of the recovery of thermoelectric capacity, perhaps today or over the weekend a new thermoelectric plant will come online—one of the units at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes thermoelectric plant in Cienfuegos, adding over a hundred megawatts; but it is no longer just about recovery; we must have domestic crude oil for it to generate power.

So, all these increases are allowing us, as we restore capacity, to have the fuel for electricity generation at those levels. With associated gas—I’ll provide a figure later—remember that we had committed to adding 20,000 manufactured gas consumers in the city of Havana.  That is already in place, and a group of new services has been activated within a month.

Four tanks have already been built at the Supertanker Base.  Remember that after the fire, the base was in a state of total disrepair, and we needed tanks to store fuel.

So far this year, 185 megawatts of thermal generation capacity have been restored. As I was saying, the solar farms are generating between 49 and 51% of the energy during daytime hours.

In just one month, 529 new manufactured gas customers have been connected in Havana, out of the 20,000 planned that we will reach. Remember that this isn’t just a matter of arriving and turning a little valve; we have to lay pipes, dig trenches for the pipes, and make all the connections to get manufactured gas to a home.

We have succeeded in ensuring that almost all bakeries in the country identified as eligible for a transition in the type of energy used for baking have made the switch; there are now more than 715 bakeries that have converted to firewood or coal.

A total of 955 photovoltaic systems have been installed in remote homes and community centers, providing a vital boost to public service activities in the municipalities. For example, yesterday when we were reviewing the situation with some provinces, we found that several already have polyclinics operating on photovoltaic power, along with a number of social institutions and maternity homes; but this is already a reality— we’re at 955, in addition to a number of isolated homes that are also being offered this service. In other words, we’re talking about polyclinics, maternity homes, nursing homes, isolated homes, ATM areas, Etecsa stations to maintain communications, funeral homes, and other centers; 120 children with illnesses that require constant climate control in their homes already have photovoltaic modules that guarantee this around the clock, and now we are in the midst of another survey being conducted by the Ministry of Public Health to extend this service to more families.

Do you recall that we had mentioned there was a group of outstanding workers, primarily from the health and education sectors, for whom 10,000 modules were to be installed?  Well, 10,034 modules have been installed, and those individuals are already receiving this benefit.

In the coming weeks, new photovoltaic park capacities will be added.  We have completed a number of photovoltaic parks that are awaiting final technical validation from the suppliers and are already finished; as the technical validation is completed, they will be synchronized with the national power grid.

In that vein, I want to highlight the following: There is a project that is not a photovoltaic park; it involves the installation of battery stations to reach a total of 50 megawatts of battery storage, and this storage is for frequency regulation. In other words, these battery stations would help with what we currently have to do at the expense of the photovoltaic parks, and therefore, we could make better use of them, and the national power grid would be more stable.

Eight of the sixteen containers that make up this project are already being charged.  Therefore, we will have the first 25 megawatts of battery storage for frequency regulation in the coming days, and work continues on the other eight containers to complete the 50 megawatts that will help regulate frequency and prevent potential outages in the national power grid.

Four new solar power plants, each with a capacity of 21 megawatts, will soon be connected to the grid, bringing the total to approximately 85 megawatts. There are three additional solar power plants—for a total of fifteen—which will collectively contribute around 85 megawatts; however, the first three plants in that project are nearing completion and will add another 15 megawatts.  In other words, we are talking about adding more than 100 megawatts to the national power grid from photovoltaic sources before the end of March.

A set of differentiated measures was established to stimulate residential investment in renewable energy sources, as well as investment in the productive sector, both in the residential sphere and in the realm of business projects. These actions or measures that were taken are focused on three fundamental areas: one area is tariffs, meaning all these imports are exempt from tariffs; another area involves a preferential payment rate from the national power grid so that, once these capacities are installed, in addition to the electricity they consume, can generate and contribute to the national power grid, or for anyone making an investment to generate electricity for the national power grid; and the third area involves a set of taxes and levies that provide differentiated treatment for those who import, install, or provide services related to these renewable energy sources.

Well, according to an incomplete survey— which changes daily— there are already 2,247 private entities —we’re talking about private businesses— that have photovoltaic systems to carry out their operations; there are more than 900 state-owned enterprises that have photovoltaic systems to carry out their activities; there are 6,765 homes connected to the national power grid via photovoltaic systems; there are 636 solar-powered water pumps serving the population, primarily in community water systems; there are 462 solar-powered pumps for agricultural irrigation.  At the same time, investments are being made in the hydroelectric and wind energy sectors, and by the end of the year we may have a new wind farm in La Herradura, in the province of Las Tunas; we will be restoring wind power capacity at the Gibara wind farms, and also connecting new hydroelectric plants.

In the area of electric transportation, as you know, we are promoting electric mobility and the creation of electric charging stations. There are already more than 2,665 electric vehicles in the country; there are more than 21,600 electric motorcycles, many of which are privately owned, but non-state entities have made them available for public services through local governments in a number of territories; there are already more than 42 charging stations for this fleet, and what we are proposing is that every electric vehicle fleet not connect to the national power grid to charge, but rather have the option of using a solar-powered charging station, which therefore does not place an additional burden on the power grid.

I would like to explain that also joining us at this meeting are several members of the Political Bureau, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, Political Bureau member Roberto Morales Ojeda, our ministers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, our Foreign Minister, and also a group of comrades, the deputy prime ministers and members of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, several of whom will provide explanations, continuing to address all these issues next week, together with a group of ministers.

Marrero shared some information with me yesterday, which I won’t go into in full. For example, an investment has been made in 400 electric cars, of which the first approximately 100 will be arriving in the coming days; we will be using them to transport hemodialysis patients throughout the country. As a result, we will be freeing a service as critical to the population as hemodialysis from its dependence on fossil fuels.  Of course, these electric vehicles that will be used for these services will also be available to assist with other health services.

Now that I’m talking about these things, which have to do with the government’s sensitivity to the population’s problems, what a strange dictatorship we are that, in the midst of this situation, we are concerned that hemodialysis patients have a solution, that polyclinics have a solution, that basic services for the population have a solution.

We will also be adding 150 electric tricycles and 15 minibuses for passenger transport, in addition to 34 electric cargo vans. 

As you know, over the past few months, these types of vehicles have been systematically incorporated into the transportation system in various provinces.  But here I want to highlight one thing: these are vehicles for which we purchase the components, but we assemble them in the country; therefore, this is our contribution to services for the population, but it is also a development that our industry is achieving, and as we move forward, we will be incorporating more domestically manufactured components and fewer imports, which opens up new possibilities for us; Furthermore, there are Cuban designs; the Military Industry is contributing to this, as is the Ministry of Industries.

In summary, without wanting to overwhelm you with more data, it is confirmed that we are working on several fronts to address the energy situation, to find a solution to the complex scenario we are facing.  All of these require financial investments that must be made amid this complexity; therefore, we must also be evaluating what comes in, where we allocate it, and to what extent we can allocate it; but all of that, as I have explained, if we look at what has been done in a month, shows that it has been undertaken in an accelerated and prioritized manner, and although the situation is complex and cannot be resolved overnight, it will be resolved gradually.

I emphasize that at no time have we relinquished our sovereign right to import the oil supplies that Cuba needs. Even with everything we are putting in place, we still need oil to bring greater vitality to all aspects of national life.

Arleen Rodríguez.—Joel García, editor-in-chief of the newspaper Trabajadores.

Joel García.—Good morning, Mr. President.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—I still need to pay a visit to your publication.

Joel García.—Yes, we’re waiting for you there.

My question relates primarily to the nature of the newspaper itself.  You explained the entire situation regarding energy and fuel, but there are many facilities and companies that have ground to a halt; some have even implemented staff reductions. And although Cuban law protects workers, the question focuses on what else managers and business owners could be doing—that isn’t currently being done—to prevent massive work stoppages that could occur in the future, given that the situation may remain tense.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel: I’m going to add to the answer to your question, because part of your editorial objectives also involves the role that unions must play at this time to support everything you’re raising in your inquiry.

Once again we return—and it is repetitive, but that is our reality—to the effects of the energy blockade and its impact on an area of our people’s lives: the productive sector and the provision of services.

Productive activity has declined; without energy, no country can produce at normal levels. The availability of services has also decreased, and all of this has necessitated labor adjustments. There are changes in work assignments, certain levels of disruption for workers, and job relocations, and all of this has consequences from both a labor and a wage perspective for a significant number of our workers and their families.

A principle we must all share—from government management, the Party’s political activity, union activity, and administrative activity—is that we seek above all to defend the job security and wage protection of our workers.  And I continue to insist—I have shared this with comrades in the labor movement, as well as with comrades in the Party and government leadership and with the provinces—that rather than resorting to layoffs, we should try to adapt and seek job relocation or job changes, because there is much to be done.

For example, there is a great deal of work to be done in the communities, and there are processes there that need to be addressed—processes that require solutions on a different level—with this large workforce now spending less time in the usual workplace setting—their factories and organizations—and more time in the communities.  With them, we could organize community projects or advance existing ones; we can strengthen the local productive system, especially food production at the community level, care for the vulnerable, and solid waste collection; creative projects tailored to the population, utilizing the number of professionals with training—let’s say, pedagogical and methodological—and the knowledge to support educational processes that are now centered in the community, in the municipality, and in municipal higher education centers: there is much we can do.

And it is better that all of us, even if we have to relocate, even if we have to change jobs, continue to contribute; let us not become demobilized, let us not wait for others to do what we can do ourselves and continue to contribute.

Our labor legislation includes a set of special provisions.  For example, in the case of budgeted units during the first month, those who have not been reassigned are paid 100% of their salary, and starting from that month, they are paid 60%. This is covered, following approval by the Council of Ministers upon request and analysis by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, but these are procedures that are completed quickly; it is covered by the State Budget, and this is a form of protection that is provided and can be utilized by all budgeted entities.

However, in the business sector, we have three sources that can help with this—sources that I don’t believe are always utilized, perhaps because they aren’t widely known—yet they were sources we used during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of them is the contingency reserves created by companies, which can be used in these cases; the other source is unused reserves, which are reserves that business entities create from their profits—something they have generated with their profits—which can also be used for this purpose; and the third source is the compensation funds that exist within these companies.

I believe that if we coordinate what the Budget can contribute and also coordinate these three mechanisms available to companies, we can achieve fair and adequate labor and wage conditions for workers under the circumstances they face.

So I would say, with the understanding that our workers are spending more time in non-traditional work settings, that the union must adapt its role.  Today, the union must be present not just in the factory, but in those spaces where its workers have been relocated. It must be addressing and defending those labor and wage conditions with a commitment to finding solutions in those spaces where workers will spend most of their time.

I place great emphasis on the community sphere.  If we harness that mass of workers—who are also neighbors among whom there is a deep sense of empathy and immense potential—to solve the problems we face locally, in the community, and in the municipality, I believe we can make a significant leap forward across a wide range of activities amid the highly complex situation we face. No one is standing still; no one is immobilized; no one is failing to contribute to our society.  That participation, that ability to adapt, fosters unity, and in unity lies the reason for all our victories, for all the progress we can make in all our endeavors. But it requires a thorough analysis, a committed analysis, a responsible analysis by those who lead budgeted entities, by those who lead companies, and also by the labor movement.

Arleen Rodríguez.— Raciel Guanche, Juventud Rebelde.

Raciel Guanche.— Greetings, Mr. President.

Cuban universities, in this context, have also had to adapt in order to complete their academic programs. However, some students have expressed concerns about finishing the semester.

My specific question is whether the country’s leadership has assessed this issue and what it plans to do moving forward.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—It is something that has been very present on social media these days.

I return once again to the root causes of the problems: the impact of the energy blockade on our educational system, both in general education and in higher education.

How can a school function, how can a university function with power outages, without fuel for transporting teachers and students, with food shortages, and without being able to fully utilize the potential that information technologies provide in the teaching-learning process? All of that is affected by this energy blockade.

Now, what are we going to do—give up, halt the school year, offer no alternatives, provide no solutions?  Well, I believe that in a very creative way, both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education took a series of measures when Prime Minister Manuel Marrero called on the government to implement a set of actions to address, within the first month, all the limitations we would face due to fuel shortages, and it became necessary to reorient the curriculum design of educational activities, both in general education and in higher education.

In the case of higher education, we also moved toward blended learning models, which are not new, because we even have courses—such as those for workers—that operate under blended learning conditions in normal times.  I would say that the creative aspect of using this blended learning is that it shifted to a community-based setting, and this ties in with the response regarding workers—how we can also work from an educational perspective within the community setting.

This has a lot to do with how students integrate into the community, how the course continues from within the community—it’s not just the students’ role and their sacrifice and effort; it also has a lot to do with the teachers, because the teachers then have to go out into the community more, they have to engage more directly with the students, transforming the teacher-student relationship found in a classroom into one set in a community setting—that is, the community’s production centers, the CUM (Municipal University Center), or the classrooms and facilities made available to students within the community—and that is the direction in which we have been working.

We’ve been in this situation for a month now; not everything has gone smoothly. There are areas where things have worked better and others where there have been shortcomings; we haven’t been able to provide the full range of direct and efficient support, and this has caused concern among Cuban teachers, students, and families—both within the teaching community and among the student body.

What has been done?  Discussing, evaluating, engaging in dialogue, addressing concerns, addressing complaints, addressing dissatisfaction, and listening to proposals being made by teachers, students, and families alike.  Placing greater emphasis on identifying the potential within each community—since not all communities are the same—and within each municipality to support these reorganization processes.  As a result, both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education have updated the measures and actions being led by the government in the country.

Next week, to provide further details—so that I do not delve into the organizational specifics—regarding these transformations and all that has been proposed for rectification, based on the discussions and debates that have taken place, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Higher Education will report on this in upcoming briefings.

Now, I want to assure you—especially on a day as historic for Cuba as today, March 13th, and given what it means for the Cuban student movement, for the university movement—that on that date, in the midst of a dictatorship, the movement grew by supporting the July 26 Movement and standing alongside the causes of the Cuban people, and given what the University Student Federation and the Student Directorate did heroically, I believe that confirming this, at a time like this, means that for the Cuban Revolution and in our process of socialist construction, education and higher education are priorities, and we will continue to maintain them as a priority.

These are temporary circumstances imposed on us by the energy blockade; but as soon as conditions allow us to overcome this situation, we will return to in-person learning, we will return to the classrooms, and we will resume our educational processes with all the educational experience that, moreover, serves as a model for Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world through our Educational System and our Higher Education System.

Arleen Rodríguez.-  Valia Marquínez, Cubavisión Internacional.

Valia Marquínez.-  Good morning, Mr. President.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.-  Good morning.

Valia Marquínez.-  In this dialogue you are having today with the press, we would like to focus on one specific topic: the role of Cuban nationals abroad.  I believe they have also played a significant role in this complex situation.

My specific question is: What role does the Cuban government recognize for this community, both in terms of providing economic support to their families and in promoting a more objective view of Cuba in the face of media and political campaigns that seek to isolate the country?

Thank you.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Interesting question.

I remind you that in the previous press conference, when we discussed the transformations that must now be promoted in our Economic and Social Model, we identified this area—the relationship with Cubans living abroad—as one of the most important and decisive steps we must take.

We must explain this in light of current developments.  Undoubtedly, the number of Cubans living abroad or extending their stay abroad at this time has been growing; it is substantial.  And, therefore, it is our responsibility as a government to welcome them, listen to them, attend to them, and provide them with an opportunity to participate in the economic and social development of our country, based on their willingness to do so, their willingness to participate; based on their capacity for participation.

What distinguishes the majority of this community of Cubans living abroad or who have been residing abroad for some time?  Well, many of them are professionals or technicians; they are a fundamental component of the skilled workforce that the Revolution has built through our educational system.

These are people who maintain their cultural roots, their identity with Cuban culture and the Cuban nation; they are people who maintain a connection with their homeland. In difficult times like those we are currently experiencing—and in others as well—they have expressed their solidarity and support; they have spoken out against the pressures and policies that seek to condemn our people.

And the bond with those Cubans living abroad is not new.  Remember that Commander-in-Chief Fidel initiated a process of dialogue with the Cuban community living abroad in 1978.  I have said this on other occasions, and I said it at the last meeting we held with the Cuban community abroad, which took place about two years ago here in Havana. I always remember from my youth that meeting between Fidel and Los Maceítos, with the Antonio Maceo Brigade, when they came to Cuba—an event captured in a beautiful documentary featuring several moments of Revolution leaders meeting with them; but there is that final meeting between Fidel and them, just as they were about to leave to catch their flight, when Fidel told them: “With you, the homeland has grown.” That is where this desire for connection, dialogue, and engagement with the community living abroad stems from.

Since then, over the course of these years, there have been significant moments with the four editions of the Conference on the Nation and Emigration, which has even proposed changing its name, because they do not see themselves as emigrants; they see themselves as part of the nation.

It must be said that the main leaders of the Revolution, during the working visits they have made in recent times to different countries, have always sought an opportunity to meet with Cubans residing in those countries, to listen to them, to share with them what is happening, and, in turn, so that they can present their proposals and concerns.

Over the past year, there has been intense activity in which, through the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Trade—which serve Cubans residing abroad—there has been significant engagement; several meetings have taken place in various countries, as well as regional gatherings across the globe, where they have raised and explained their concerns, limitations, and aspirations; they have made proposals and identified what they consider to be obstacles preventing them from contributing more to the country.  We have compiled a record of all this, creating a dossier of all their suggestions.

It should also be noted that sector-specific meetings have been held.  For example, an education event is taking place in the country; Cubans living abroad who work in the education sector are coming as part of the delegation to participate in that event, and an educational meeting is being held with Cubans living abroad.  There is an industrial event or a trade fair, and meetings are held with Cubans in that sector, which has also provided us with a great deal of information on the matter.

Recently, after processing the results of all those meetings, we conducted an analysis within the Political Bureau and the national government, and I believe that the new measures or actions to be announced will resolve nearly all the concerns raised by Cubans living abroad, and will greatly facilitate their presence and participation in the country’s Economic and Social Development Program.

Those measures, those actions, those reflections we have made, and everything we are going to implement—Deputy Prime Minister Oscar, who also serves as Minister of Foreign Trade, will explain in detail on Monday, during a press conference, all the progress made in terms of support, in response to your question regarding Cubans living abroad; but I believe we have built a platform that allows for more active participation, less burdened by bureaucracy and red tape, more flexible, including some very innovative features that I won’t reveal here, and I’ll let Oscar explain them at the press conference next Monday.

Oscar, make sure you’re ready for Monday, because you can’t let me down; if you had another date scheduled, reschedule it for Monday.

Arleen Rodríguez.— Norland Rosendo, CEO of the Cuban News Agency.

Norland Rosendo.— Good morning, Mr. President, to you and to everyone joining us for this press conference.

Despite the extremely difficult situation of isolating our country, we have recently received aid in solidarity and are still receiving it. We would like to know what the Cuban government’s strategy is for distributing these resources and the control mechanisms to ensure they reach their intended destinations.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Let’s talk about current events, and let’s also talk about the background and history.

The current situation is that we are receiving donations, and above all there is a friendly, sister country that has risen to the occasion in a tremendous way: Mexico, led by its president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has shown tremendous steadfastness in defending Cuba—for which we are grateful, whom we respect, and whom we admire more and more—as well as donations from other countries.

Also, as a current issue, right-wing forces are upset by this, and media disinformation begins regarding the use and destination of the donations—especially in right-wing media—and they then try to link it to alleged mismanagement by Cuba in order to also attack the governments and countries that help us in this way.

The Revolution’s ethics are so strong, and there is a track record demonstrating an indestructible ethic in how donations are received and distributed, which crushes any media disinformation campaign. No media disinformation campaign can stand up to that ethic—it shatters against it!  Who understands this better than anyone? The people who are the recipients of the donations made to us by friendly countries and solidarity organizations.

Let’s talk about history.  There is a long history, a long track record of how international organizations, cooperation projects, institutions, solidarity organizations with Cuba, governments, and friends of solidarity make donations to the country in a tremendous variety of ways; but the country has also organized a system of planning, distribution, and control, and possesses vast experience in how to process these donations.

We receive donations of all kinds and under different circumstances.  We receive emergency donations or aid in situations as complex as those we are currently experiencing; we receive donations during emergencies such as hurricanes or specific natural disasters; donations come from the goodwill of friends of solidarity who want to help at a specific time, out of the commitment they make when they come to visit Cuba and see that a particular sector, health center, or school is lacking something and they want to donate it; they come as part of cooperation projects we have with specific organizations; they come as part of the work carried out by major agencies such as the World Food Programme and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

What do we take into account when we receive donations?  The first thing we respect is the donor’s intended purpose for the donation.  If donors say, “I want these notebooks to go to a specific school,” those notebooks go to that school.  If a donor has donated a solar-powered water pump for a community, it goes to that community.

There are other donors who do not specify a particular purpose, but rather a more general one: “Well, I’m donating these photovoltaic system kits for polyclinics across the country.”  What does the country do?  It analyzes where the greatest needs lie and proposes to the donor: “We suggest that you prioritize these specific polyclinics in the country with your donation,” and the objective of that donation is fulfilled.  That is how we interact.

There are others who are more general, who send donated items and allow us, based on national criteria and priorities, to direct them toward the vulnerable, toward institutions that provide social services, such as maternity homes, homes for the elderly, homes for children without family support, and toward health, education, or other institutions; we generally distribute them in that way.

What is given to the population, for example, in the form of food, has never been charged for; it is given free of charge, and has often been part of what we have delivered as part of the food basket in those months in a given location, but without charging for it because it is a donation.  The country derives no economic benefit from it; the benefit is social because it helps us, but nothing is done to profit from the donation.

There is complete transparency regarding where the donations go.  If it is food, it is recorded in the Ration Book; there is a record at the household level showing that a certain amount was received as a donation.  It is recorded in the Consumer Registry by Mincin; social workers actively participate in the delivery of donations in the communities, and there is a whole system of audits—from the Prosecutor’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office, and the internal control systems of the institutions involved in the donation—to ensure total transparency, total integrity, and no doubt regarding these donations.  Tell me of any case of misappropriation of donations in Cuba.  Look back at the history of this entire period and see what we can discuss.  Who can claim misappropriation?  Who can claim corruption regarding a donation at the state level, at the government level?

But I’ll go further: many of the institutions that partner with us—such as the Red Cross, the UNDP, and the WFP—have representatives in Cuba. These representatives, who are also very active and have a deep understanding of the Cuban people’s situation, constantly visit the locations where the aid is sent and verify on the ground how the donations are being used. They have always expressed great satisfaction with the seriousness with which this work is carried out.  And also the representatives of other countries through their embassies—when donations come in for specific government projects or specific institutional projects—the embassies also visit the sites, observe the situation on the ground, and are provided with all the information regarding those donations.

In short, whenever there is a visit by someone from a country involved in any of the donations, it is proposed as part of the visit program that they visit the location for which a donation was made in which they may be involved, from which they can gather information—in other words, there is complete transparency and accountability.

In this case, which is more recent and has been covered on television and in the press—including specific details at the warehouse level regarding what arrived for Cuban families thanks to Mexico’s generous aid—the Mexican Embassy has also been visiting the sites and has been part of the entire verification process regarding the destination of those donations.

They took a photo of a Mexican product… We also have a commercial relationship with Mexico that is not limited to donations, and there are entities here that have imported certain products from Mexico and sell other types of goods that have nothing to do with the donation.  But it immediately becomes disinformation, because it is based on lies, on slander, and seeks, as they say, “the fifth leg of the cat” to discredit, to annoy, to divide, to confuse.

But I tell you, the ethics with which the Cuban Revolution, with which our government handles these donations, is very strict and stops any attempt at media disinformation.

Arleen Rodríguez: Leidy María Labrador, from Granma.

Leidys M. Labrador: Yes, thank you.

Good morning.  Greetings to you, Mr. President, and to everyone here with us.

A few days ago, a development came to light in our country that truly caught everyone’s attention—not only domestically but also beyond our borders—namely, the attempted terrorist infiltration that took place here on our territory.  An issue that, as you mentioned, was also the subject of a full-scale disinformation campaign and the like, but all the details of which were eventually made public.  We would like you to comment on the current status of the investigations into this incident, and, well, it would also be interesting to know if there is any cooperation between Cuba and the United States to clarify this type of incident.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—I will answer you and give you a personal perspective that also relates to the feelings and values of our combatants.

The incident itself is exactly as it has been reported: an armed infiltration for terrorist purposes, an infiltration financed and organized from U.S. territory.  As presented in the report on television, they were heavily armed; therefore, this demonstrates their intentions and debunks the fallacy that some representatives of the Cuban counterrevolutionary right in the United States tried to spread—that they were coming to look for families.

First, given the amount of weapons and equipment they were carrying, there was no room for any families on the boat; and second, do you really think you can come to Cuba to look for families armed with explosives, assault rifles, and all the military equipment they brought? Do they think we’re fools? Do they think we’re idiots? Do they think they can confuse an entire people with so many lies and so much trickery?  And their intentions were to storm military units and community centers to create confusion, to create unrest, to sow fear. And it is an act of aggression.

A criminal proceeding has been initiated with all the guarantees of due process.  Regarding the detainees, their families were immediately informed, and the families have been in full contact with them.  As for the wounded, they have received full medical care, have expressed gratitude for the medical care, and, in addition to that, their families have been able to interact with them.

Regarding the deceased, their families were also notified in a timely manner; the families identified the bodies and have been involved in all procedures related to the handling of the remains.  There is only one procedure that has not been carried out due to a family issue: the family’s wishes regarding the disposition of the remains.

But very importantly: during the investigations, all of them have admitted their involvement; all have admitted that they fired shots, that they were the first to open fire on our Coast Guard vessel, belonging to the Border Guard Service.  They have provided very interesting details that will be revealed as the investigations continue to progress—about who recruited them, who trained them, who organized them, where they underwent their training, who financed them—and they have provided the names of the individuals, the locations, the intentions, what was proposed to them, and what was intended.  Two of the detainees are listed on our country’s national list of persons and entities designated as terrorists, and this information has also been shared with international institutions.

Of course, our U.S. counterparts were promptly provided with this information.  Our U.S. counterparts have been informed and have expressed their gratitude for the information provided; through diplomatic and consular channels, they have expressed their willingness to collaborate in clarifying the facts, and we are awaiting a previously announced visit by FBI experts to participate in the investigation and inquiries alongside our Ministry of the Interior forces.  Therefore, there is indeed information and cooperation with our U.S. counterparts, and we are awaiting a visit from a group of FBI experts to continue advancing these investigations.

Two days after the infiltration occurred, together with the Minister of the Interior, Comrade Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, we visited the health facility where the commander of the Cuban vessel is being treated. A young man, trained by our Revolution within the Ministry of the Interior’s agencies, with a long career in the Border Guard Troops; I knew him previously because he is from Villa Clara, from Corralillo.  We did not want to go there from the very beginning, nor did we publicize that visit, because we were visiting him out of solidarity, out of comradeship, to support a combatant who had been wounded; we did not want to cause a disturbance or turn it into a media event.  We were going to visit a person wounded by the shrapnel of an invader who had come ready to kill.

Comrades, that man—his family, his mother, his wife—comes from a very humble family; his mother is a doctor; his wife is a teacher—he went on and on explaining to us, not his wound or his pain, but the fulfillment of his duty, and we tried to ask him: How do you feel? Does it hurt?  And he, the fulfillment of duty!  And he told us how he was wounded, how he remained at the helm in command of the ship, and when his strength finally gave out, he asked one of his comrades to take command of the operation.  He had to lie down; he was bleeding, completely weakened, and he could hear everything that was happening.  And he felt tremendous pride for having thwarted that infiltration, for having spared the Cuban people the pain that would have resulted if those people had managed to disembark and carry out their plans.

And I say these things because there are many lessons to be learned in this country during these difficult times: the lesson of our 32 comrades who fell in combat in Venezuela; the lesson of these five fighters from the Ministry of the Interior, from the Border Guard Troops, who held back an infiltration force that outnumbered them two to one, not to mention the way it outgunned them; and the pride of this Cuban officer in his duty and his commitment to the people, his courage, his honesty, and his Cuban—so very Cuban!—behavior, which stands above any other conduct or behavior.

These are also the things that strengthen convictions, that uplift us in such difficult times!

I’m taking this opportunity to share it, because it’s a feeling that Lázaro and I have—we experienced it there—that we hadn’t spoken of before, but it’s good for people to know what our people are like, because our people have faces, they have names, they have families, they have stories, and hopefully one day, at some point, when he’s recovered more, when things are understood, the press can do a story on him; but above all, a story of life with a comrade like that, who is also an expression and an example of what is multiplied in thousands of fighters in our Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior.

Since we are talking about infiltrations and enemy plans, ten Panamanian citizens have also been detained, as announced, and are being prosecuted in a trial with all due process guarantees; they have had contact with their families and have received consular assistance and a visit from the Panamanian Ambassador to Cuba, and an investigation is underway in which they have admitted their guilt and provided information on who recruited them, under what circumstances, for what purposes, and in which locations; they have provided the names of the individuals, and all of this is under investigation and forms part of the complaint being filed regarding this matter.

Arleen Rodríguez: Well, you were talking about March 13th; Radio Reloj is here as well, and today is a historic day for us. Yoanny Duardo, representing Radio Reloj.

Yoanny Duardo: Good morning, Mr. President.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Good morning.

Yoanny Duardo.—The Government of Ecuador recently declared the staff of our Embassy in that country “persona non grata.” There was a summit that clearly seeks to revive the policy of the United States and the OAS aimed at isolating Cuba.

My question is: What is the Revolutionary Government’s position regarding this new aggression by the U.S. government?

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Thank you.

Let’s evaluate the context. What is one thing that distinguishes Cuba in the eyes of the world? What distinguishes Cuba in its relations with the world? What does Cuba offer the world?  A broad, active, friendly bond of cooperation and solidarity. That is what defines Cuba’s relations with the rest of the world. We are a country that maintains diplomatic relations with most countries in the world. But, moreover, it is a broad bond between peoples, from people to people, with friends all over the world.

Cuba has cooperated in the development of countries through government programs.  Wherever Cubans have carried out missions, there is immense recognition of the role they have played; there are all the stories of our medical, educational, construction, and labor missions.  Likewise, in the places where we went to fight at the request of governments, especially in Africa, in African countries, there is recognition of how our combatants and our officers acted.

Therefore, I would say that what distinguishes Cuba are precisely those virtues, those values that inspire admiration for Cuba, not rejection.  That is the prevailing sentiment in most of those relationships and among those involved in them.

Of course, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Patria Grande, our America, those ties are stronger, more intimate, closer; they are tied to the entire history of each of our countries and to all our relationships.

Looking back, I remember when we were in Mexico at an event marking the Grito de Dolores; both López Obrador—who was president at the time—and I, when we spoke, mentioned a number of events that linked our countries, Mexico and Cuba; but this applies to Angola as well; it applies to the internationalist missions; it applies anywhere in the world.  This is what the Hondurans speak of with sorrow, as they have now been left without care because their government withdrew the medical brigade from Honduras; or Caribbean countries that will now be left without the care of Cuban doctors, and which recognize that the presence of Cuban health personnel is vital to their health systems.

Now, history also shows that since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, U.S. governments—all of them—have persistently sought to isolate our country. Let us recall the massive campaign in the early years of the Revolution; remember the events at the OAS, and remember how Mexico maintained its relations with our country with dignity.  It seems history is repeating itself: a campaign to isolate Cuba is being woven once again, and there are those who do not yield, and once again, a supportive and brotherly Mexico stands by Cuba’s side.

And another point worth noting: relations between governments are not the same as relations between peoples.  There may be a government, such as the one mentioned in the question, that succumbs to pressure from another government and, in a gesture—a gesture of “servility”—decides to expel the diplomatic mission without any justification, without any argument, in violation of international law, the Vienna Conventions, and all such things; but the friendship between the Cuban people and the Ecuadorian people is historic and indestructible, just as the relationship between the Cuban people and the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean is indestructible, and no government’s decision can destroy that, and the peoples know which side is right.

Therefore, a close relationship between Ecuadorians and Cubans will continue to exist.  And sooner rather than later, those relations will be restored.

Remember that we have to participate in Defense Day.

Arleen Rodríguez:  Well, if you give us one more question, Radio Rebelde is next.  Antonio Matos.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel:  All right.

Antonio Matos.—Good morning, Mr. President.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement that read: “In the spirit of goodwill and close, fluid relations between the Cuban State and the Vatican, the Government of Cuba has decided to release 51 individuals currently serving prison sentences in the coming days.”  What can you tell us about this? We know this is a common practice in our criminal justice system.

Miguel M. Díaz-Canel.—Bruno should answer that.

It is a sovereign decision; no one imposes it on us—we decide it ourselves. It is not unique; we have done this before. In fact, the statement provides examples of times when we have resorted to this practice.  It is a sovereign decision; we are doing it now for the reasons explained in the statement, and it simply reflects our humanistic commitment and the way the Revolution deals with such cases fairly.  Note that it acknowledges these are people who have maintained good behavior, and our legal norms recognize benefits for those serving sentences for specific conduct.

As always, brace yourselves—the media frenzy is coming, the attempts to link this to other events, the distortion of reality; but rest assured, we have made a sovereign decision, and there it is.

I propose we wrap up. We have to attend to defense activities; our military leaders are here, and there is a full program.

I thank the representatives of the press, especially since we know you are in the midst of a day of activities for Cuban Press Day.  May you have a fruitful Cuban Press Day tomorrow, and we will continue to hold these kinds of meetings.

Now, as we had announced here, the deputy prime ministers, ministers, Marrero, and other colleagues from the leadership will be providing further information on all these topics.  There is an agenda; we have reviewed the public agenda, and there are more than fifteen topics we can address: people are asking where the transformations are headed—in fact, we have discussed some of them today; issues regarding the current situation; the issue of inequalities; vulnerability, among others.

See you soon, and thank you very much to everyone.

Many thanks to the Buenos Días program for giving us this opportunity (Applause).