As Cuba grapples with its sixth national blackout of the year and a crippling energy crisis, a wealthy cadre of Cuban-American families and veteran entrepreneurs in Miami is assembling blueprints for a post-communist economy, the BBC reported.
High-End Planning Against a Backdrop of Crisis
Gathered inside the waterfront Biscayne Bay mansion of one of Miami’s most prominent plastic surgeons, members of the newly formed Cámara Nacional de Comercio Cubanoamericana (Cancc) recently met for their fourth summit. Sipping rum near the swimming pool, elite families with historic Cuban-American surnames like Bacardí and Babún discussed the deteriorating economic conditions on the island and strategized over future investments. Juan Omar Sixto, president of Cancc and an octogenarian real estate developer who fled Cuba as a teenager, insists that his organization is fully prepared to “go do business in Cuba immediately” once the government falls.
The Cancc has already drafted proposals for a future Cuban stock exchange and established specialized committees focusing on structural priorities ranging from energy infrastructure to food security. While various exile groups have drafted transition plans over the decades, Sixto argues that current political conditions offer a renewed opening. He points to the maximum-pressure campaign advanced by Washington and highlights alignment with key allies, including individuals close to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Skepticism and Economic Realities on the Ground
Inside Cuba, these bold declarations meet profound skepticism. Confronting severe U.S. sanctions and fuel shortages, the administration of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel recently rolled out 176 economic liberalization measures. These reforms lift caps on private enterprise employee counts, permit direct hiring and firing, and authorize individuals—including Cuban-Americans—to own multiple businesses simultaneously. Díaz-Canel defended the changes as a means to promote and expand social justice, though critics view the policy as an embrace of unvarnished capitalism.
Meanwhile, academic analysts caution that such planning sessions may be premature. Mike Bustamante, an associate professor of history at the University of Miami, notes that the high expectations fostered by Washington rhetoric have stalled, particularly as the U.S. government shifts its focus toward domestic midterm elections and international entanglements.
“It is really difficult to think that they are going to intensify the situation beyond what they are already doing, which is this steady drip of sanctions,” Bustamante said regarding the current limits of U.S. intervention.
Property Claims and the Question of Agribusiness
Property restitution remains a foundational pillar for this wealthy generation of exiles.
Similarly, agricultural expert Hugo Orizondo contends that private investment and modern technology are non-negotiable prerequisites if Cuba is to break its heavy reliance on food imports and feed its population.
“Right now, Cuba is like a black hole; we don’t know what is happening there,” Orizondo said, acknowledging the information vacuum while emphasizing the island’s underlying production potential.
