HAVANA, Sept 12 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Faced with growing hostility and hardened blockade by the US administration, the Cuban Government has been forced to take short-term measures to cope with what amounts to an all-out economic war, President Miguel Diaz-Canel explained in a nationally televised appearance.
At a special program of the news analysis Round Table broadcast from the Palace of Government, the Head of State was accompanied by the ministers of Energy and Mines, Raul Garcia; Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil, and Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez, to provide the people details about decisions taken to overcome what he described as a short-term situation.
Due to the harsh actions taken by Washington to choke the Cuban economy, the island has been unable to receive lately oil supplies, thus causing shortages of fuels and hurting transportation mainly.
Prioritize a strict use of diesel in public and cargo transportation is one of the measures announced by Minister Gil to relieve the current fuel shortage.
Another of the measures are to temporarily reduce economic activity in productive sectors which are big diesel consumers and centralized fuel allocation, said the Minister who added that efforts are geared to keep national power grid functioning.
The Minister of Energy and Mines, Raul Garcia, asserted that the supply of liquid petroleum gas is guaranteed for the rest of the year for over 1.7 million households and businesses.
He pointed out all power stations are ready to burn fuel oil, the supply is guaranteed, while 67 solar farms around the island fully working and contributing 2.4 percent of the daily energy.
President Diaz-Canel insisted Cuba will not go back to the deep economic crisis of the 90’s, saying this is a temporary situation which the country will overcome, and called on comprehension and unity of the people.
He further said the island’s Gross Domestic Product will still slightly grow in 2019 as predicted. — NNN-PRENSA LATINA
