INTERVIEW: Equipment renovation, new joint ventures, and work in Africa. The Cuban Ambassador discusses growth opportunities in cooperation with Belarus.
Benítez Santiago Pérez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Republic of Belarus. Cuba continues to develop and build friendly relations with many countries, despite US sanctions and restrictions. January 2025 was an eventful month for Cuba, as the country celebrated its national holiday , Liberation Day. On January 1, Cuba became a BRICS partner country. In January, a number of US restrictions were temporarily lifted, but only for a week. In an interview with BELTA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Republic of Belarus Santiago Pérez Benítez discussed Cuba's response and development under the difficult conditions of a blockade that has lasted more than 60 years, who its friends are, and what cooperation with Belarus means for the country.
Ambassador, this year marks the 66th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, which helped the Cuban people achieve freedom and independence...
Our people are faithful to the ideals for which the revolution took place and continue their path of socialist construction, despite all obstacles and difficulties. For six decades, Cuba has courageously lived under an incessant trade and economic blockade, provocations, and information attacks from the United States .
This is truly difficult and affects the standard of living of literally every Cuban. The island, 180 kilometers from the US coast, has been under sanctions for over 60 years, and despite this, it continues to resist, overcome, and develop. This is an unprecedented act of heroism by an entire nation.
Belarus advocates a complete end to the US embargo against Cuba. As noted by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, our country has consistently and resolutely condemned, including at the UN, the unfair and unjustified inclusion of Cuba by the United States in 2021 on the list of countries sponsoring international terrorism, as the absurdity of this move was clear to the entire world from the outset. By decision of the US Biden administration on January 14, Cuba was removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. However, it was short-lived. About a week later, the Trump administration reinstated Cuba. How does Cuba view this?
- Despite its rather limited nature, Biden's decision was in the right direction and in line with the consistent and firm demands of the Cuban government and people. It also responded to the broad, decisive, and repeated appeals of many governments, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cubans living in the country and abroad, political, religious, and public organizations, as well as numerous political figures in the United States and other countries.
However, less than a week after removing Cuba from the relevant list, the Trump administration reinstated us, reversing the positive changes that occurred on January 14.
This move once again confirms the groundlessness and unconstructiveness of US policy towards Cuba and demonstrates the true value of such American lists. It is an act of arrogance and disrespect for the truth, aimed at strengthening the economic embargo and achieving American dominance.
We express our deep gratitude to all friends who have condemned US actions against Cuba.
I would like to point out that the economic embargo and several dozen coercive measures introduced since 2017 to strengthen it remain in place and could become even worse. Their full extraterritorial nature and violation of international law and the human rights of all Cubans are in violation.
For example, the illegal and aggressive harassment of fuel supplies, which our country has the legal right to import, continues. The brutal and absurd persecution of Cuba's legitimate international medical cooperation agreements with other countries continues, threatening to deprive millions of people of medical services and limiting the capacity of the Cuban public HEALTH system.
Here's another example. International financial transactions by Cuba or any citizen with connections to Cuba remain prohibited and subject to repression. Merchant vessels calling at Cuba also remain under threat.
Furthermore, every US citizen, company, or subsidiary of a US corporation is prohibited from trading with Cuba or Cuban entities, with very limited and regulated exceptions. Harassment, intimidation, and threats against citizens of any country seeking to trade with or invest in Cuba remain official US policy. The US government prohibits its citizens from visiting Cuba.
To our great regret, the economic war persists and continues to be a fundamental obstacle to the development and recovery of the Cuban economy, imposing high human costs on the population and continuing to drive emigration.
Cuba is very grateful to Belarus for its long-standing support, its efforts on international platforms, including at the UN, and its calls for the lifting of sanctions.
Despite such long-term, large-scale sanctions, Cuba is developing and maintaining relations with foreign countries, including Belarus. How are economic ties developing between our countries?
Belarusian-Cuban relations have a long history, dating back to Soviet times. Traditions of friendship have been preserved between the countries and have never been interrupted. Our countries cooperate politically and economically and are defining future prospects for collaboration.
There is an active intergovernmental Belarusian-Cuban commission on trade and economic cooperation. Incidentally, its next meeting is scheduled for May in Cuba, and preparations for this important event are currently underway. I would like to point out that the embassy's trade and economic service is open to initiatives and proposals for cooperation from Belarusian enterprises and business circles.
It's important to understand that the Cuban market isn't limited to domestic needs—products supplied by Belarus can also be sold in other Latin American countries.
Belarusian equipment, which Cuba has traditionally purchased since Soviet times, is well known for its high quality.
However, service is a pressing issue. It would be important for the Cuban side if, given your strong technological base and highly qualified specialists, Belarus participated in the modernization of previously acquired equipment currently in use on the island. For example, we plan to upgrade approximately 50,000 old tractors and 10,000 MAZ vehicles, as well as potentially re-engineering these vehicles.
Of course, in addition to upgrading existing equipment, we can purchase new machinery manufactured in Belarus. This includes not only tractors, but also a wide range of other agricultural machinery. Our actual customers are Cuban agricultural producers, sugarcane producers, representatives of the construction sector, and municipalities interested in tractors, buses, trucks, and equipment.
We are also interested in Belarusian experience in feed production and the creation of livestock complexes.
- Given the sanctions, it is probably not so easy to resolve payment issues?
- That is indeed true. Payments are not always so straightforward due to the lack of cash. However, we are looking for solutions and are developing payment mechanisms with the involvement of banking institutions. A mechanism for mutual deliveries is in place within the framework of the Belarusian-Cuban intergovernmental agreement with the Republic of Cuba. Conditions are provided for the purchase of Cuban medicines in exchange for agricultural and automotive equipment, medical devices, and food products supplied by Belarus . This helps maintain an effective mechanism for mutual cooperation between Belarus and Cuba. Of course, we are also promoting other mechanisms and exploring the possibility of using national currencies and the currencies of friendly countries in our relations.
- Which Belarusian food products are most in demand in Cuba?
- First and foremost, dairy products , of course . Currently, about 20 Belarusian dairy enterprises have been certified in Cuba, and this is very important for deliveries.
I know that Belarusian MILK powderIt is sold worldwide, and there are prospects for Cubans to also use this Belarusian product. The Cuban government provides subsidies for the youngest consumers of milk—children.
Cuba is also interested in other types of dairy products, includingyogurt ,Ice cream , cheese. Overall, Cuba offers a wide range of Belarusian products widely consumed by our population, familiar with them from Soviet times, and distinguished by their high quality, such as condensed milk, canned MEAT, baby food , and others.
This could involve not only purchasing these products but also creating joint ventures for the production of dairy, meat, and other products. The potential is enormous. Cuba has numerous factories and enterprises that are not operating at full capacity and that, with the use of raw materials from Belarus or a little financial support, could be converted into joint ventures, consumed domestically, or exported. Belarusian technology is renowned thanks to ties that existed during the Soviet era. The challenge for Cubans and Belarusians is to rediscover the mutual potential we have.
Clearly, the impetus that financial institutions can provide to launch small and medium-sized projects that are sustainable and self-financing is important.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the priority high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors of Cuban industry. Cuba's achievements in biotechnology are noticeable worldwide – Cuba not only meets its own needs but also exports pharmaceutical and biotechnology products to dozens of countries. How effectively is Belarusian-Cuban cooperation developing in this area?
The Cuban government has prioritized social policy, including healthcare development. Therefore, public health issues are given significant attention in the country. Having achieved significant results in pharmaceuticals and medicine, we share our developments with other countries. Fruitful cooperation in this area has also been established with Belarus. A number of Cuban medicines are traditionally supplied to the Belarusian market.
Contacts are developing between the Cuban concern BioCubaPharma, the Belarusian pharmaceutical company ACADEMFARM, and the Belpharmprom holding company. My vision for the prospects for Belarusian-Cuban relations in this area is as follows: jointly produce medicines and supply them to the EAEU market , as well as do the same with Belarusian medications in Latin America.
Another promising area of our cooperation is Africa. Cuba has long been helping African countries, sending the best Cuban medical professionals there and training African specialists. Given that Belarus is currently expanding its contacts on the continent, we could combine our efforts for multilateral cooperation in this and other areas.
The island of Cuba in the Caribbean attracts tourists from all over the world with its beautiful nature, sea, and beaches, as well as cultural monuments from its colonial past. Varadero has long been a popular holiday destination. How many Belarusians come to Cuba for tourism?
Anyone who has visited our island will never forget its captivating beauty. The island is washed by two seas—the Caribbean and the Mexican Sea—and its coastline stretches for approximately 4,000 kilometers. Before the pandemic, approximately 5 million tourists came to Cuba annually to admire its beauty and relax, and tourism accounted for approximately 10% of the country's gross domestic product. It's a shame that covid-19 restrictions have led to a decline in tourism. But things are now recovering.
According to preliminary data, more than 8,000 Belarusian tourists will visit Cuba in 2024 , which is significantly below its current potential. Given the increasing number of flights from Moscow to Varadero and Havana, as well as Minsk's proximity to Moscow (just an hour's flight), it's clear that tour operators in both countries are under-investing in this destination. The promotion of Belarusian tourism services, including wellness tourism and spa treatments , also requires significant development in the Belarusian market.
I'd like to point out that Cuba has done much to restore tourist flows and develop tourism infrastructure, creating new modern hotels and modernizing existing ones. These represent excellent opportunities for foreign investors, including Belarusian ones. Overall, I believe there is great potential for developing tourism ties between our countries. After all, Belarus's picturesque landscapes, lakes, rivers, and attractions are also attractive to Cubans.
I am confident that Belarus and Cuba have excellent prospects for cooperation in a wide range of areas.
Alina GRISHKEVICH,
BELTA
Ambassador, this year marks the 66th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution, which helped the Cuban people achieve freedom and independence...
Our people are faithful to the ideals for which the revolution took place and continue their path of socialist construction, despite all obstacles and difficulties. For six decades, Cuba has courageously lived under an incessant trade and economic blockade, provocations, and information attacks from the United States .
This is truly difficult and affects the standard of living of literally every Cuban. The island, 180 kilometers from the US coast, has been under sanctions for over 60 years, and despite this, it continues to resist, overcome, and develop. This is an unprecedented act of heroism by an entire nation.
Belarus advocates a complete end to the US embargo against Cuba. As noted by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, our country has consistently and resolutely condemned, including at the UN, the unfair and unjustified inclusion of Cuba by the United States in 2021 on the list of countries sponsoring international terrorism, as the absurdity of this move was clear to the entire world from the outset. By decision of the US Biden administration on January 14, Cuba was removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. However, it was short-lived. About a week later, the Trump administration reinstated Cuba. How does Cuba view this?
- Despite its rather limited nature, Biden's decision was in the right direction and in line with the consistent and firm demands of the Cuban government and people. It also responded to the broad, decisive, and repeated appeals of many governments, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cubans living in the country and abroad, political, religious, and public organizations, as well as numerous political figures in the United States and other countries.
However, less than a week after removing Cuba from the relevant list, the Trump administration reinstated us, reversing the positive changes that occurred on January 14.
This move once again confirms the groundlessness and unconstructiveness of US policy towards Cuba and demonstrates the true value of such American lists. It is an act of arrogance and disrespect for the truth, aimed at strengthening the economic embargo and achieving American dominance.
We express our deep gratitude to all friends who have condemned US actions against Cuba.
I would like to point out that the economic embargo and several dozen coercive measures introduced since 2017 to strengthen it remain in place and could become even worse. Their full extraterritorial nature and violation of international law and the human rights of all Cubans are in violation.
For example, the illegal and aggressive harassment of fuel supplies, which our country has the legal right to import, continues. The brutal and absurd persecution of Cuba's legitimate international medical cooperation agreements with other countries continues, threatening to deprive millions of people of medical services and limiting the capacity of the Cuban public HEALTH system.
Here's another example. International financial transactions by Cuba or any citizen with connections to Cuba remain prohibited and subject to repression. Merchant vessels calling at Cuba also remain under threat.
Furthermore, every US citizen, company, or subsidiary of a US corporation is prohibited from trading with Cuba or Cuban entities, with very limited and regulated exceptions. Harassment, intimidation, and threats against citizens of any country seeking to trade with or invest in Cuba remain official US policy. The US government prohibits its citizens from visiting Cuba.
To our great regret, the economic war persists and continues to be a fundamental obstacle to the development and recovery of the Cuban economy, imposing high human costs on the population and continuing to drive emigration.
Cuba is very grateful to Belarus for its long-standing support, its efforts on international platforms, including at the UN, and its calls for the lifting of sanctions.
Despite such long-term, large-scale sanctions, Cuba is developing and maintaining relations with foreign countries, including Belarus. How are economic ties developing between our countries?
Belarusian-Cuban relations have a long history, dating back to Soviet times. Traditions of friendship have been preserved between the countries and have never been interrupted. Our countries cooperate politically and economically and are defining future prospects for collaboration.
There is an active intergovernmental Belarusian-Cuban commission on trade and economic cooperation. Incidentally, its next meeting is scheduled for May in Cuba, and preparations for this important event are currently underway. I would like to point out that the embassy's trade and economic service is open to initiatives and proposals for cooperation from Belarusian enterprises and business circles.
It's important to understand that the Cuban market isn't limited to domestic needs—products supplied by Belarus can also be sold in other Latin American countries.
Belarusian equipment, which Cuba has traditionally purchased since Soviet times, is well known for its high quality.
However, service is a pressing issue. It would be important for the Cuban side if, given your strong technological base and highly qualified specialists, Belarus participated in the modernization of previously acquired equipment currently in use on the island. For example, we plan to upgrade approximately 50,000 old tractors and 10,000 MAZ vehicles, as well as potentially re-engineering these vehicles.
Of course, in addition to upgrading existing equipment, we can purchase new machinery manufactured in Belarus. This includes not only tractors, but also a wide range of other agricultural machinery. Our actual customers are Cuban agricultural producers, sugarcane producers, representatives of the construction sector, and municipalities interested in tractors, buses, trucks, and equipment.
We are also interested in Belarusian experience in feed production and the creation of livestock complexes.
- Given the sanctions, it is probably not so easy to resolve payment issues?
- That is indeed true. Payments are not always so straightforward due to the lack of cash. However, we are looking for solutions and are developing payment mechanisms with the involvement of banking institutions. A mechanism for mutual deliveries is in place within the framework of the Belarusian-Cuban intergovernmental agreement with the Republic of Cuba. Conditions are provided for the purchase of Cuban medicines in exchange for agricultural and automotive equipment, medical devices, and food products supplied by Belarus . This helps maintain an effective mechanism for mutual cooperation between Belarus and Cuba. Of course, we are also promoting other mechanisms and exploring the possibility of using national currencies and the currencies of friendly countries in our relations.
- Which Belarusian food products are most in demand in Cuba?
- First and foremost, dairy products , of course . Currently, about 20 Belarusian dairy enterprises have been certified in Cuba, and this is very important for deliveries.
I know that Belarusian MILK powderIt is sold worldwide, and there are prospects for Cubans to also use this Belarusian product. The Cuban government provides subsidies for the youngest consumers of milk—children.
Cuba is also interested in other types of dairy products, includingyogurt ,Ice cream , cheese. Overall, Cuba offers a wide range of Belarusian products widely consumed by our population, familiar with them from Soviet times, and distinguished by their high quality, such as condensed milk, canned MEAT, baby food , and others.
This could involve not only purchasing these products but also creating joint ventures for the production of dairy, meat, and other products. The potential is enormous. Cuba has numerous factories and enterprises that are not operating at full capacity and that, with the use of raw materials from Belarus or a little financial support, could be converted into joint ventures, consumed domestically, or exported. Belarusian technology is renowned thanks to ties that existed during the Soviet era. The challenge for Cubans and Belarusians is to rediscover the mutual potential we have.
Clearly, the impetus that financial institutions can provide to launch small and medium-sized projects that are sustainable and self-financing is important.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the priority high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors of Cuban industry. Cuba's achievements in biotechnology are noticeable worldwide – Cuba not only meets its own needs but also exports pharmaceutical and biotechnology products to dozens of countries. How effectively is Belarusian-Cuban cooperation developing in this area?
The Cuban government has prioritized social policy, including healthcare development. Therefore, public health issues are given significant attention in the country. Having achieved significant results in pharmaceuticals and medicine, we share our developments with other countries. Fruitful cooperation in this area has also been established with Belarus. A number of Cuban medicines are traditionally supplied to the Belarusian market.
Contacts are developing between the Cuban concern BioCubaPharma, the Belarusian pharmaceutical company ACADEMFARM, and the Belpharmprom holding company. My vision for the prospects for Belarusian-Cuban relations in this area is as follows: jointly produce medicines and supply them to the EAEU market , as well as do the same with Belarusian medications in Latin America.
Another promising area of our cooperation is Africa. Cuba has long been helping African countries, sending the best Cuban medical professionals there and training African specialists. Given that Belarus is currently expanding its contacts on the continent, we could combine our efforts for multilateral cooperation in this and other areas.
The island of Cuba in the Caribbean attracts tourists from all over the world with its beautiful nature, sea, and beaches, as well as cultural monuments from its colonial past. Varadero has long been a popular holiday destination. How many Belarusians come to Cuba for tourism?
Anyone who has visited our island will never forget its captivating beauty. The island is washed by two seas—the Caribbean and the Mexican Sea—and its coastline stretches for approximately 4,000 kilometers. Before the pandemic, approximately 5 million tourists came to Cuba annually to admire its beauty and relax, and tourism accounted for approximately 10% of the country's gross domestic product. It's a shame that covid-19 restrictions have led to a decline in tourism. But things are now recovering.
According to preliminary data, more than 8,000 Belarusian tourists will visit Cuba in 2024 , which is significantly below its current potential. Given the increasing number of flights from Moscow to Varadero and Havana, as well as Minsk's proximity to Moscow (just an hour's flight), it's clear that tour operators in both countries are under-investing in this destination. The promotion of Belarusian tourism services, including wellness tourism and spa treatments , also requires significant development in the Belarusian market.
I'd like to point out that Cuba has done much to restore tourist flows and develop tourism infrastructure, creating new modern hotels and modernizing existing ones. These represent excellent opportunities for foreign investors, including Belarusian ones. Overall, I believe there is great potential for developing tourism ties between our countries. After all, Belarus's picturesque landscapes, lakes, rivers, and attractions are also attractive to Cubans.
I am confident that Belarus and Cuba have excellent prospects for cooperation in a wide range of areas.
Alina GRISHKEVICH,
BELTA