In the mid 1990s, Cuba implemented a growth-driven strategy to attract remittances from abroad. The fundamental elements of this strategy consisted of the legalization of the U.S. dollar, the expansion of a national network of state-run “dollar stores” (tiendas de recaudación de divisas—TRDs), the development of government-operated exchange bureaus (Casas de Cambio, S.A.—CADECAS), and the […]

Corruption poses an insidious challenge to political legitimacy and economic growth in countries across the world. In many new democracies, the transition away from authoritarian rule has failed to end corrupt practices and even created new opportunities to harness public resources for private enrichment. Similarly, Cuba’s success or failure in controlling corruption will quickly emerge […]

The demise of the Socialist bloc in 1989 has engendered structural changes in the economies and planning practices of Cuba and other continuing socialist countries such as China and Vietnam. Indeed, in the 1990s the Cuban government was obliged to promote a series of economic and institutional reforms (reviewed in Colantonio and Potter, 2006) that […]

This article evaluates Cuban economic performance in 2004–2005, contrasting it with 2003 and 1989 (prior to the crisis); in addition, it compares 2004 targets with actual performance and examines targets and prospects for 2005. The analysis of economic performance includes macroeconomic, physical output and external sector indicators; social performance is the subject of another paper […]

In the 1990s, several transitional governments addressed the issue of Communist-era property confiscations by allowing former owners and their heirs to lodge claims. One of the remedies offered to resolve claims was restitution. Restitution involved the return of the original property when possible. This remedy was essential for a variety of reasons including: demonstrating a […]