AGP Executive Report

Oil and Gas: Cuba’s new decree, effective Oct. 19, opens exploration and production to domestic and foreign private firms through long-term concessions and production-sharing deals, while keeping resource ownership with the state. The move aims to boost output amid fuel shortages and blackouts. Power and Renewables: U.S. solar-equipment exports to Cuba reached $6.3 million in the first seven months of 2026—more than 11 times the total for all of 2025—helping some households and businesses cope with outages. Industrial Innovation: Holguín’s National Association of Innovators event highlighted factory-led efforts at construction-materials company Medano, which has six centers focused on diversifying production. Agriculture and Mining: Sugar workers in Guantánamo are calling for a better harvest, while illegal gold mining in Las Tunas has become a public-health concern linked to mercury exposure.

Industrial Innovation: Holguín workplaces marked ANIR’s anniversary with productivity gains, including at the construction-materials company Médano, which credits six innovation centers with diversifying local production. Energy and Investment: Cuba is revising oil and gas rules to attract investment in production, refineries and fuel depots, while accelerating renewable energy as fuel shortages deepen. Agriculture and Sugar: At the World Food Forum, President Díaz-Canel called for support to tackle food-production and distribution problems; Guantánamo sugar workers are preparing fields and repairing mills ahead of the next harvest. Mining Safety: Illegal gold extraction in Las Tunas is causing serious mercury exposure, with health officials reporting worrying rates of neurological, kidney and psychiatric illness in affected communities.

Mining and Public Health: Illegal gold mining in Las Tunas is exposing nearby communities to mercury, with doctors reporting neurological, kidney and psychiatric illnesses at three times the national rate. Energy and Industry: Cuba is revising oil and gas rules to raise output and opening refineries and fuel depots to private investment. But solar panels at many hospitals cannot keep services running through blackouts because they lack battery storage. Fuel Safety: A fire at an Azutecnia workshop in Manzanillo injured five people, two seriously. Firefighters warned against storing fuel in plastic tanks and urged the use of approved metal containers. Agriculture and Investment: At the FAO forum in Rome, Cuba pitched investment in coffee and honey production, including processing honey for higher-value exports, while citing shortages of fuel and other inputs.

Energy: Cuba’s new oil-and-gas law broadens investment options, including concessions and private participation in exploration, refining, fuel storage and sales, as the country seeks to raise output and ease shortages. Renewables: The energy minister says 144 solar farms, with about 1,418 megawatts of capacity, have been installed in recent years. A Cuban-developed platform showcased at INNOVA 2026 is already helping manage photovoltaic parks. Food and Trade: Sancti Spíritus has opened Cuba’s first wholesale supply market, offering goods including rice, diapers and seasonings, but requiring a minimum purchase of 24,000 pesos. An economist writing for Cubadebate says price caps have failed to curb inflation and have diverted goods to informal markets. Agriculture: President Miguel Díaz-Canel presented food-security projects at the FAO’s World Food Forum, as the forum’s investment initiative announced a record $20.16 billion in proposed agrifood funding across 38 countries and five regional initiatives.

Oil and Gas: Cuba has replaced oil laws dating to 1938 and 1959 to attract investment in exploration and production. New contracts can run up to 40 years, but the state retains ownership of reserves and control over permits and domestic supply. Renewable Energy: As fuel imports remain constrained, the government says 144 solar farms with about 1,418 megawatts of capacity are installed, while it seeks to expand solar, wind and other domestic energy sources. Trade and Agriculture: Sancti Spíritus has opened Cuba’s first wholesale supply market, selling goods including rice, diapers and whiskey with a minimum purchase of $200 or 24,000 pesos. The state-run tourism supplier behind it says the market aims to improve access to supplies. Cuba also begins a difficult tobacco campaign, targeting 20,000 hectares. Industrial Safety: A fire at an isotank facility in Manzanillo left five people injured, one critically; the cause remains under investigation.

Energy Transition: Cuba is accelerating renewable power as fuel restrictions squeeze state-run industries. Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said 144 solar farms now provide about 1,418 megawatts; he also denied any Cuban contract tied to 90 biodiesel shipments seized by U.S. authorities, which Washington says were bound for state fuel company ENETEC. Food and Agriculture: At the FAO’s World Food Forum, President Miguel Díaz-Canel outlined plans to boost local food production and nutrition, including investment in rural economies and stronger coffee and honey production. Cuba has also launched a difficult tobacco campaign, targeting 20,000 hectares. Power and Telecoms: Recent grid failures in eastern Cuba and service outages that left more than 100 radio bases down in Camagüey highlight the strain on essential infrastructure. ETECSA has completed work to change its energy mix in Antilla. Consumer Services: As medicine shortages deepen, community pharmacies and donation networks are filling gaps while Cuba prepares to allow private pharmacies.

Industrial Safety: A fuel-tank fire at Azutecnia’s sugar-sector workshop in Manzanillo injured five people; one remains in critical condition. Telecommunications: ETECSA says the power deficit can leave more than 100 of Camagüey’s 179 mobile radio bases offline. Solar installations are helping keep some sites running, but much of the fixed network is decades old. Agriculture: Cuba has begun its 2026–27 tobacco campaign with a target of 20,000 hectares, including 12,000 in Pinar del Río, amid difficult growing conditions. Mining and Health: Illegal gold extraction in Las Tunas is exposing workers and communities to mercury, with doctors warning of neurological and other serious illnesses. Energy and Construction: Eastern grid failures and fuel supply pressures continue to disrupt services, while San Luis is building 18 homes using containers and lightweight materials.

Medicine Supply: As state pharmacies run short, free community distributions and informal sellers are filling gaps for Cubans seeking essential drugs. Power and Renewables: Power returned to eastern Cuba after a grid-line failure, but outages remain severe. Solar is helping households and businesses cope: U.S. shipments reached $6.3 million in the first seven months of 2026, up sharply from 2025, while China remains the main supplier. Fuel and Industry: A bakery in Artemisa has replaced diesel with marabou wood to keep its ovens running, a stopgap that underscores the fuel crisis. U.S. seizures of fuel shipments bound for a Cuban state-linked entity add uncertainty, while experts estimate Cuba’s oil debt to Venezuela at least $20 billion. Tourism: Spanish media warn visitor numbers have fallen 64%, raising fresh concerns for the island’s tourism economy.

Energy: Power returned to eastern Cuba after a failure on the Nuevitas–Las Tunas line, but the fragile grid remains short of generation capacity. Solar is helping fill gaps: U.S. shipments of solar cells and modules reached $6.3 million in the first seven months of 2026, while Etecsa installed 32 panels in Antilla to keep telecom sites running for about nine hours. Business Adaptation: A bakery in Artemisa has replaced diesel with marabou wood to keep its ovens operating, a makeshift response to fuel shortages. Trade: Venezuelan oil experts estimate Cuba’s debt to Caracas at more than $20 billion, linked to decades of oil-for-services cooperation. Tourism: Cuba received 64.4% fewer international visitors in January–August than a year earlier; a Spanish economic outlet also cited a forecast of a 10.3% GDP contraction this year.

Power Grid: A failure on the 220-kilovolt Nuevitas–Las Tunas line disconnected parts of eastern Cuba, as the system faced a projected peak deficit of 1,680 megawatts. Workarounds: An Artemisa bakery is burning marabou wood to keep its ovens running without diesel. Etecsa installed 32 solar panels in Antilla to power telecom sites for about nine hours, while Santa Clara’s baseball stadium is adding solar panels. Fuel Supply: U.S. authorities seized 90 biodiesel shipments valued at $2.8 million and reportedly bound for a sanctioned Cuban state company. At the same time, U.S. petroleum-product exports to Cuba reached a record $74.8 million in August, led by diesel and gasoline. Tourism: Cuba received 450,353 international visitors in the first eight months of 2026, down 64.4% year over year; a Spanish economic forecast projects GDP could contract 10.3% this year.

Fuel Trade: U.S. petroleum exports to Cuba reached a record $74.8 million in August, up 22.4% from July, led by diesel and gasoline. At the same time, U.S. authorities seized 2.2 million liters of biodiesel they say was bound for state importer ENETEC; Havana denounced the action as illegal. Energy: The fuel crunch is driving investment in solar power: Chinese-backed installations reportedly lifted renewables’ share of Cuba’s electricity from about 3% to 21% in a year. In Havana, construction is also underway on new fuel tanks as the city’s infrastructure deteriorates. Agriculture: Cuba and Italy are advancing sustainable pineapple and avocado production, while women farmers in Holguín discussed sector challenges. A WFP-backed project there is also supporting local development. Food Markets: Cárdenas residents criticized a new state-run market after finding prices comparable to, or higher than, those at private businesses.

Agriculture: A World Food Programme project in Holguín is training producers and supporting local cooperatives to build a more resilient food supply. Energy: Cuba’s fuel crisis is sharpening the push toward solar, while U.S. authorities say they seized 90 biodiesel shipments worth $2.8 million that were bound for a Cuban state-linked company. Trade and Distribution: New rules allowing individuals to import goods for commercial purposes, alongside expanding neighborhood markets, are reshaping supply channels as state bodegas lose ground. Workforce: One in four Cuban workers has an informal job, underscoring the scale of employment outside the formal economy.

Fuel and Trade: U.S. agencies say they seized 90 diesel shipments worth $2.8 million allegedly bound for Cuban energy company ENETEC. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez condemned the action and rejected Washington’s authority to restrict trade or inspect vessels. Power Sector: Díaz-Canel touted more than 1,000 MW of solar capacity added in 2025, but recurring grid collapses and prolonged blackouts show the challenge of turning new capacity into reliable supply. Private Commerce: Cuba has authorized individuals to import commercial goods through non-commercial channels, while new neighborhood markets in Granma draw criticism over prices many workers cannot afford. Industry and Agriculture: Guantánamo plans a science and technology park, Baracoa’s coconut-oil plant has joined BioCubaCafé, and Cuba has begun its 2026–27 tobacco campaign.

Fuel and Energy: U.S. authorities seized or detained 90 biodiesel shipments—about 615,000 gallons valued at $2.8 million—over alleged illegal exports to Cuba’s sanctioned ENETEC. A report says the transaction had U.S. Treasury approval and the fuel may have been headed to a private Cuban buyer; the investigation continues. Private-Sector Opening: Industriales became the first Cuban baseball team to wear a private sponsor’s logo, from fuel distributor A Granel, under new sports rules. Agriculture: Women in Holguín’s farming sector met to discuss barriers to participation and changes proposed under the new land law. Retail Restructuring: Only 1,913 of Cuba’s more than 12,000 ration shops are slated to remain, serving vulnerable residents; neighborhood markets can be managed by state firms, small businesses, cooperatives or self-employed workers. Jobs: One in four Cuban workers has an informal job, as people seek income beyond inadequate wages and pensions. Imports: New rules allow individuals to import goods for commercial purposes through non-commercial channels, with tariffs charged in dollars.

Fuel Supply: U.S. authorities seized about 620,000 gallons of biodiesel worth $2.8 million in Florida and Texas, saying the shipments were bound for Cuban state fuel wholesaler ENETEC. The interception adds pressure to an island already grappling with severe energy shortages. Solar Power: U.S. exports of solar panels and cells to Cuba reached $6.3 million so far this year, up from $500,000 in 2025, as households and businesses seek alternatives to unreliable grid power. Retail and Trade: Only 1,913 of Cuba’s more than 12,000 ration stores are set to remain bodegas; some others are becoming neighborhood markets run by state firms, small businesses, cooperatives or self-employed workers. New rules also allow individuals to import goods for commercial use, while foreign companies gain wider access to wholesale trade. Jobs: One in four Cuban workers now has an informal job, reflecting the squeeze on formal employment and incomes.

Fuel and Energy: U.S. authorities seized 90 biodiesel shipments worth about $2.8 million and bound for Cuban state fuel company ENETEC. The investigation is ongoing, as fuel shortages continue to strain the island. Solar Power: U.S. solar equipment exports to Cuba reached $6.3 million in the first seven months of 2026, up sharply from 2025, helping some homes and businesses cope with blackouts. Trade and Imports: Cuba has authorized individuals to import goods through non-commercial channels, with tariffs charged in dollars, and expanded foreign companies’ access to wholesale markets. Agriculture: The 2026–27 tobacco campaign has begun, while Cuba is also offering land to Indian firms for food production. Public Services: Health officials warned that food left unrefrigerated can become unsafe, underscoring how unreliable electricity threatens food storage.