cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/46623883

Duration - 24:16

[a video about Cuba from the news collective Belly Of The Beast]

Belly of the Beast journalist Liz Oliva Fernández interviews British economist Emily Morris, who has specialized in studying the Cuban economy since the early 1990s. Emily compares the current crisis with the hardships of the Special Period, and explains the impact of U.S. policy.

Morris breaks down how Cuba’s economy functions — its dependence on foreign exchange, the role of tourism and remittances and the growing weight of the informal sector. She argues that while internal problems matter, external pressures have significantly shaped the country’s limited recovery.

At the center of the discussion is a broader question: what happens when a small economy is cut off from global finance, trade networks and investment flows in an increasingly interconnected world?

“If the U.S. were to lift sanctions, the Cuban economy, within five years would be prosperous,” Morris says.