Russia will lend Cuba over $50 million for purchases of Russian military equipment.
The respective agreements will be signed during the 16th intergovernmental commission on economy, trade and scientific-technical cooperation due to take place in Havana on October 29-30.
Cuba will reportedly be able to use the said money for purchasing armored security vehicles and aviation: presumably helicopters that are at the disposal of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Separately, they will buy spare parts, tools and equipment for the earlier purchased vehicles and to maintain, for instance, T-62 tanks or APC-60 armored vehicles to protect and secure the country.
Sweeping changes have been afoot in Cuba ever since Raul Castro took power in 2006, the younger brother of Fidel legalized self-employment, freed up citizens to sell their homes, and eagerly pursued a thaw in relations with the USA.
Cuban citizens are preparing to ratify or reject a radical new national constitution in a referendum, but while the proposals represent a seismic political, social and economic shift for the Caribbean island.
The whirlwind culminated in July this year, when Cuban lawmakers approved a radical new constitution, which recognizes the right private property, democratizes local and national politics, legalizes same-sex marriage, and jettisons the long-standing objective of Cuba progressing towards a “communist society”, among other significant amendments.
Such draconian measures, the piece’s nameless author declared, were motivated by Havana’s dastardly desire to protect nationalized industries.
While restrictions on the number of people who can dine in restaurants, tax rates proportionate to a business’ size and state-subsidy of public utilities are commonplace throughout the world, to The Economist (owned by Rothschild) these measures were cynical attempts by Cuba’s government to sustain the country’s “grossly inefficient centrally planned economy.
Security against any type of an American invasion has always been a priority for Cuba. Russia has always been willing to help out a hand, but with Trump in command times are changing.
Sputnik / ABC Flash Point Caribbean News 2018.
