面對日益嚴重的經(jīng)濟和人道主義危機,，古巴政府上周開始實施嚴厲的經(jīng)濟措施,，削減補貼，增加稅收,、關(guān)稅,，以提高政府收入,，遏制島內(nèi)基本商品短缺的問題。新年伊始，政府對私營企業(yè)部門增加稅收,，提高天然氣售價,，對香煙在內(nèi)的一些進口商品加征關(guān)稅。官員們表示,，將實施重要轉(zhuǎn)變,，改革古巴革命以來的配給卡制度。全面削減對基本食品的補貼,，轉(zhuǎn)而為有需要的人提供針對性的經(jīng)濟支持,。
作為宏觀經(jīng)濟穩(wěn)定計劃（Macro-economic Stabilization Plan）的一部分，馬雷羅總理（Prime Minister Marrero ）在去年12月底的國民議會特別會議上宣布了一系列漲價和勒緊褲腰帶政策,，這些措施包括提高交通,、能源價格以及某些部門的用水成本，要求外國人用外幣支付汽油費等,。
馬雷羅說,，配給卡涉及到的國家商店里的大米、牛奶,、糖,、雞蛋和其他基本商品將被重新分配，不再供給給所有國民,，要為社會若是群體實現(xiàn)“更公平,、更高效”的糧食安全。他提到：擁有財富不一樣的人得到同樣的配給,，這是不公平的?，F(xiàn)如今，政府提供給老年的養(yǎng)老金領(lǐng)取者的補貼,，與那些有錢的大型私營企業(yè)主的補貼是相同的,。
古巴目前正經(jīng)歷20世紀90年代最為嚴重的經(jīng)濟危機。2023年,，以國有經(jīng)濟為主體的古巴國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值下降1%到2%,，政府財政赤字接近19%，嚴重限制了古巴進口基本商品的能力,。官方公布的通貨膨脹率為30%,。
路透社最近的一篇報道提到，由于美國的經(jīng)濟制裁,，古巴旅游業(yè)下滑,，揮之不去的疫情后遺癥，島內(nèi)燃料,、食品和藥品的短缺,，公共交通供給不足,，經(jīng)濟緊張局勢有所加劇，經(jīng)濟正接近崩潰,。高通脹和糧食短缺加劇了島上的人道主義危機,。
在過去兩年里，估計約有50萬古巴人,，約占總?cè)丝诘?%,，前往美國。
古巴實施新的經(jīng)濟措施正值該國紀念革命65周年之際,，現(xiàn)年92歲的勞爾·卡斯特羅（Raúl Castro）在1月1日的電視講話中呼吁“團結(jié)一致”應(yīng)對“這場經(jīng)濟斗爭”,。他稱：“找到解決這些困難的辦法是所有古巴革命者不可避免的責(zé)任?！?/p>
Facing a dire and deepening economic and humanitarian crisis, the Cuban government last week began implementing drastic economic measures to cut subsidies and increase taxes and tariffs to obtain revenue needed to stem spreading shortages of basic goods on the island. The new year began with the government levying new tax increases on private sector companies, steep increases in the price of gas as well as new tariffs on certain imports, including cigarettes. In a significant shift, officials said the government would revamp the ration card system—a longstanding symbol of the Cuban revolution—and curtail across-the-board subsidies of basic foodstuffs, instead providing targeted economic support for those in need.
Prime Minister Marrero announced a series of price increases and belt-tightening, stringent measures at a special meeting of the National Assembly in late December as part of a “Macro-economic Stabilization Plan.” The measures include increasing transportation and energy prices and the cost of water usage in certain sectors, as well as requiring foreigners to pay for gasoline with foreign currency.
Marrero said the ration card—known as the Libreta—which subsidizes minimal amounts of rice, milk, sugar, eggs and other basic goods, when such goods are actually available in the state stores, would be repurposed. Instead of going to all Cubans, it would be cut back in order to achieve “a fairer and more efficient” food security for vulnerable sectors of the society. “It is not fair that those who have a lot receive the same as those who have very little,” Marrero suggested, acknowledging the growing socio-economic inequities in Cuba. “Today we subsidize the same to an elderly pensioner as to the owner of large private businesses who has a lot of money.”
Cuba is experiencing its worst economic crisis since the “special period” following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the largely state-run economy contracted by 1 to 2 percent in 2023, authorities said, and the fiscal deficit is close to 19 percent, severely restricting Cuba’s ability to import basic goods. The official inflation rate is pegged at 30 percent. “Cuba's economy—saddled by U.S. sanctions, a tourism shortfall and a lingering pandemic hangover—is nearing collapse,” Reuters recently reported, “with fuel, food and medicine shortages rampant, public transportation scarce and tensions running high.” Recent reports have cited high inflation and food shortages for fueling what many call a humanitarian crisis on the island.
Over the last two years, an estimated half million Cubans, approximately 4 percent of the population, have left for the United States.
Implementation of the Cuban Government’s new economic measures come as the country commemorated the 65th anniversary of the revolution. In a televised speech on January 1, Raúl Castro, now 92 years old, called for “unity” to confront “this economic battle.” “Finding an answer to these difficulties is an unavoidable duty of all Cuban revolutionaries,” he said.
