MIAMI. – In the midst of the tourist collapse and the energy crisis that Cuba is going through, the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, assured that the island could become one of the main tourist powers in the Caribbean under a democratic model and economic openness.
The statements were made during a conference held this weekend at Miami Dade College, focused on issues related to foreign policy, regional security and the future of Cuba, Venezuela and Latin America.
During his speech, the Republican leader maintained that Cuba has sufficient natural, geographical and maritime conditions to develop a large-scale tourism industry, especially in areas related to navigation, fishing and international tourism.
DeSantis also pointed out that the country’s economic potential could be developed in a “very solid” manner in a context with legal guarantees, private investment and economic freedoms.
The governor linked part of his analysis to the experience he had in the US Navy during his time at the Guantánamo Naval Base, from where he claimed to have been able to appreciate the natural and strategic capabilities of the Greater Antilles.
“The standard of living of Cubans could improve significantly,” he expressed when referring to the possibilities of economic growth in a scenario after the current communist government system.
The statements occur at a particularly complex time for the Cuban tourism industry, one of the sectors historically promoted by the regime as the main source of foreign currency income, but which is currently facing a marked drop in international visitors and multiple operational difficulties.
In recent years, the territory has recorded prolonged blackouts, fuel shortages, deterioration of basic services and reduction in air operations, factors that have directly impacted the operation of numerous tourist destinations and the arrival of foreign travelers.
While the ruling party continues to promote million-dollar investments in hotels and infrastructure linked to tourism, economists and specialists have questioned the real capacity of the sector to sustain itself in the midst of the economic contraction that the country is experiencing.
During the meeting, DeSantis also reiterated his critical stance towards the Cuban regime and stated that every day under the current model represents “a lost opportunity” for the economic and social development of the nation.
His statements also occur in the midst of growing debates inside and outside Cuba about the political and economic future of the country, as well as about the possibilities of transforming the island in an eventual scenario of opening.
