Nomenklatura

Key political risks to watch

January 4, 2012

Reuters‘ near term alert to key politcal risks to monitor in Cuba: Resolution of outstanding short-term debt. Signs of increased interest in foreign investment. U.S. inspection of drilling rig. Results of Repsol’s exploratory well. U.S. pressure to stop the drilling. Furthermore, on international relations: A planned Papal visit in March and improved ties with Brazil are bright [...]

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Investing in Cuba is highly risky

January 1, 2012

Dun & Bradstreet’s Country Risk Services forecasts plans to modernise the economy [in Cuba] will help to limit firms’ losses and improve performance, however, assesses the country as a high risk associated with the “overall political, economic and commercial performance” for 2012.

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Cuba’s ranking in EIU’s Democracy Index

December 16, 2011

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) just released its report Democracy Index 2011: Democracy Under Stress. Per the report: “The index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and two territories—this covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s independent states (micro states are [...]

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New Cuban political elite

December 4, 2011

Eusebio Mujal-León, professor and former chair of the Department of Government at Georgetown University and the director of the Cuba XXI Project, has written an excellent article (published in the Journal of International Affairs’ Fall/Winter ’11 issue on the authoritarian state) analyzing the new Cuban political elite and exploring how power is distributed between the country’s military [...]

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Newly minted colonels

December 1, 2011

Via Cuban state media: Army General Raul Castro presided over the promotion ceremony of 65 officers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) to the rank of colonel at Defense Ministry headquarters. These officers were recognized for “their accomplishments in strengthening the country’s defensive capability and personal character.” Those promoted are graduates of higher education, where 35% [...]

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Cuba in 2012

November 30, 2011

I received today The Economist‘s The World in 2012 issue, whereby it forecasts the following for Cuba: Market forces and private enterprise will take on a greater role in the economy, under the strict guidance of Cuba’s Communist Party. It aims to shift 1m workers off state payrolls over the coming years, phase out rationing [...]

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