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Ariel Dacal Díaz

Ariel Dacal Díaz

Co-ops in Cuba: Yes… But No

The announcement made more than two years ago that Cubans would be able to found co-ops raised expectations that have not been met in the context of the process of economic reforms currently underway on the island. At a meeting recently held by the Council of Ministers on May 29, an assessment of these forms of business association, still considered as “experimental” in Cuba, came to conclusions that could be summarized as: “Co-ops yes, but no.” Over a two year period, the government has approved the creation of 498 co-ops, of which only 347 are operating. The areas in which they have been authorized to operate are very limited, with trade and food services being the most extended (88%), distributed as follows: technical and personal services (59 %), construction (19%), and industrial services (10%). The Commission is currently reviewing other 205 applications. According to the report presented at the meeting, so far co-ops they have shown to be “economically efficient.” However, the document also underscores, the public have failed to understand their process of implementation, as intended by the government, and their experimental status. It was informed that, for now, the decision has been made not to continue to increase...