Manuel Marrero Calls for Stricter Measures Amid "War Economy" Conditions

Prime Minister of Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz, has called for a tougher stance against crime, corruption, and illegal activities in line with what he described as "war economy" conditions. This declaration was made on Saturday during a government visit to Cienfuegos, aimed at "correcting distortions and revitalizing the economy," in front of provincial authorities, ministers, Communist Party members, and other officials accompanying him.

Emphasizing his point, the Political Bureau member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) addressed complaints and opinions from the public requesting a harsher approach against lawbreakers. "I receive feedback from the population. They say, 'Listen, you say we are in a war economy, but the penalties do not match this war economy.' This is an exceptional situation where the main problems faced by the people demand stricter enforcement for such actions," said the Prime Minister, as reported by the National Television News (NTV).

Pounding the table and his chest, with exaggerated gestures and a chaotic tone, Marrero Cruz stressed the need for a "confrontation" and to abandon any "leniency." "The work system is not enough if it doesn't bring results. Is there more confrontation? Yes, there is more confrontation. But there isn't more confrontation from an administrative standpoint, in factories, warehouses, and production centers," he noted, eager to extend his campaign against "crime, corruption, and illegalities" to every corner of the Cuban state.

Despite acknowledging a slight decrease in key indicators in Cienfuegos, Marrero Cruz urged a review of "the work of the confrontation groups" and to expand their scope of action, as demanded by the population.

In his speech, the Prime Minister did not address the public's outrage at the incompetent leadership causing the greatest crisis in Cuba's history. Instead, he blamed the "blockade" and criminals exploiting the situation to steal, speculate, and spread corruption across the country. "How can it be that with the depressed budget this state has, social institutions are paying millions for unjustified activities?" Marrero Cruz questioned.

In the same meeting, the Prime Minister accused Cuban micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (Mipymes) of spreading corruption and invoicing the state millions for overpriced work. "Twenty-one million... contracts that we have paid to those millionaires, already determined by the Ministry of Construction (MICONS), that the little jobs they did don't cost that much, they cost much less!" he exclaimed.

In early June, the Cuban government admitted that its "tough" policy and fight against crime were not yielding results, and that criminal "phenomena" were proliferating in society. "There is no progress in identifying and eliminating the causes and conditions that favor the proliferation of these phenomena," Marrero Cruz pointed out during a meeting of the task force for crime and illegal activity prevention.

"We are not achieving effective administrative confrontation in factories, warehouses, where most problems originate. Public dissatisfaction persists, which shows that the work is still insufficient. We must intensify actions, especially preventive ones," the leader emphasized.