Cuba's Entrepreneurs Face A Host Of Obstacles In Running Their Small Business

Photo: Hansel Leyva

Riury Rodriguez Lorenzo, Havana Times: Cuba’s Self-Employed and their “Struggle”

HAVANA TIMES — Ever since they emerged in Cuba, “self-employed workers” have had to put up with a host of obstacles.

Those of us who are with the times we live in (the 21st century!) aren’t recognized as an essential part of the national economy. The positive effect our actions have on the population’s quality of life is undervalued and worst yet, we are made to be victims of a manipulative thought: “the private sector is synonymous with easy money.”

The anti-capitalist culture that has developed in Cuba ever since the Revolution triumphed in 1959 has been confused with distrust and aggresion towards the private sector and entrepreneurship.

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WNU Editor: This commentary reminds me of what it was like to start a business in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. My father and uncle went into real-estate, and the overwhelming sentiment that was directed at them and at every other entrepreneur in Russia at the time that was trying to start something new was that they were "mafia". This is what decades of propaganda, cultural indoctrination, and politicians/Communist Party officials exploiting the emotion of envy can do. I would say that it has taken almost 35 years for this mindset to finally change in Russia .... and today .... starting your own business is becoming the norm for many young people. In regards to Cuba .... they are now starting down this path, and while it is unfortunate that the Communist Party still controls the economy and media, the spirit of the entrepreneur is now clearly taking hold.

Update: More signs of change in Cuba, albeit very slow and still tightly controlled .... Communist-run Cuba starts rolling out internet on mobile phones (Reuters).