Economist Elías Amor Provokes with Question: "What Did Fidel Castro Leave Cuba?"

Amidst the official festivities marking the centennial of Fidel Castro's birth, Cuban economist Elías Amor posed a piercing question during an interview with Tania Costa: "What did Fidel Castro leave Cuba?"

This inquiry arises as the Cuban regime orchestrates a wide array of political events centered around August 13, 2026, the pivotal date of the centennial. Among these is the First International Colloquium "Fidel: Legacy and Future," held at Havana's Convention Palace, drawing over 1,500 delegates from 63 nations. Amor dismissed the grandiose celebration as "all this nonsense about Fidel Castro's 100 years."

An Unflattering Comparison

To address his own question, Amor provocatively compared the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco with the leader of Cuba's "revolution." "Let's get into the comparison of dictators," he stated before elaborating on the stark differences.

According to Amor, Franco left Spain with a network of roads, highways, tunnels, dams, public housing, and the foundations of a social security system "that ranks among the world's best." In stark contrast, he challenged anyone to point out an equivalent achievement of Castro's regime: "Can anyone name a single construction...?"

His conclusion was blunt: "What he left is well-known—a devastated nation, torn apart by mutual hatred. This is a debt that can't be paid, even with millennia in hell." Amor framed this assessment against the backdrop of modernization projects that were halted post-1959.

Unfulfilled Modernization Plans

Amor reminisced about the 1956 Havana Pilot Plan, which included an ambitious subway project modeled after Paris, with French companies proposing costs between 56 and 125 million pesos, poised to serve over two million people. "So many initiatives were eradicated by these atrocious decisions, and had they been realized, Cuba would be entirely different," he remarked.

Energy and Future Prospects

Addressing Cuba's energy future, Amor responded to a viewer's suggestion of investing in nuclear energy. Rather than dismiss it, he fully endorsed the idea. "Who said nuclear energy isn't important? Of course, it is. Cuba has scientists and technology, and it could be executed flawlessly." He mentioned France and Germany as potential partners in this venture.

In the same segment, Amor questioned the dogma surrounding the electric transition, citing data from the Spanish automotive market: 60% of sales are still combustion vehicles, with electric ones not surpassing 25%. "Electric energy isn't the cure-all," he cautioned.

A Call for a New Beginning

Having previously stated in July that he had never seen the regime's end so near, the economist concluded with a plea to the island's future leaders: "We've been dragged down once, and that's over. Now it's time to arm ourselves with values to accomplish good things for Cubans, to govern ourselves according to our own interests."

His final message was directed at those who, in his view, might seek to influence the decisions of a free Cuba with agendas foreign to the Cuban people's interests.

"What we Cubans must avoid, once we regain our nation and establish a free democratic republic based on a liberal economic model, is listening to the 'timindunguis' (troublemakers)," he asserted.