12. The Sixth and Seventh Party Congresses, Obama and Trump¶
Core Argument¶
At the Sixth Congress of the Cuban Communist Party in April 2011, held after a fourteen-year hiatus necessitated by closed-door decision-making, the regime under Raúl Castro unveiled a programme that objectively represented a significant step towards restoring capitalism. The central ‘Draft Guidelines’ contained 291 proposals but omitted any mention of workers, unions, bureaucracy, or democratic planning, and lacked self-criticism. The measures announced included market-determined prices, decentralised control, expanded self-employment, and land transfers to efficient producers. Workers were to bear the costs through eliminating the ration book, removing canteen subsidies, and raising electricity prices. Although nearly nine million Cubans participated in public discussions, no democratic mechanism existed to process their proposals. The Congress approved cutting over a million state jobs and promoted co-operatives and self-employment. Raúl also increased representation of women and black/mixed-race people in leadership and proposed term limits. The Congress opened the door to treating solidarity aid as service provision and created a Special Development Zone at Mariel, backed by Brazilian capital and managed by a Singaporean firm, mirroring China’s Special Economic Zones. Income from exporting medical services reached US$5 billion annually, while remittances totalled US$3 billion, increasing inequality. Law 118 (2014) allowed foreign investment in all sectors except health, education, and the military, with tax exemptions and 100 per cent foreign ownership permitted. Cubans gained the right to buy and sell homes on an open market, deepening social divisions.
Obama’s rapprochement changed US tactics but not its goal of destroying the Revolution, using economic changes, investment incentives, and altered migration policy as a three-pronged attack. In August 1985, Fidel had declared Cuba’s debt unpayable. A December 2015 Paris Club agreement wrote off US$8.5 billion in penalties; Cuba will pay US$2.6 billion in principal by 2033, with a moratorium on interest until 2020 and then 1.5% annual interest. Creditors use debt settlement to gain trade and investment advantages, racing to access Cuban tourism, mining, and pharmaceuticals. Cuba also settled debts with China, Japan, Mexico, and Russia (90% of US$35.2 billion written off; US$3.2 billion to be paid over ten years). Trade concessions are central. Trump’s 2016 election created uncertainty; Obama’s deal was expected to lead to embargo lifting as Venezuelan oil supplies faltered (a 20% cut in July 2016 caused blackouts). Trump publicly “cancelled” Obama’s initiative but actually only banned US tourists from military-owned hotels; key parts remain, including remittances and commercial deals. However, a National Security Presidential Memorandum could ban remittances to a quarter of Cuba’s labour force, including clerks and truck drivers. Unofficial remittances have quintupled. Trump’s actions will reduce Cuban GDP and family consumption.
The Seventh Congress (April 2017) was held without party-wide consultation on documents; an editorial stated consultation was unnecessary as Sixth Congress decisions were still being implemented. Raúl Castro, aged 84, presented the main report, confirming capitalist reforms would proceed while banning factions and setting age limits (60 for Central Committee, 70 for leadership) to remove guerrilla-era opponents. New Political Committee members are technocrats. The Congress approved documents in principle for local discussion, but final approval was left to the Central Committee.