Díaz-Canel: Cuba's destiny is to advance amid challenges

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez described 2020 as a "hard and challenging" year.

In his closing remarks to the Sixth Regular Session of the National Assembly in its 9th Legislature, he pointed out that in 2019 "they shot to kill to us ", but this 2020 closed the doors to the economy and life itself for months.

"They insisted on killing us, but we insisted on living and winning. It is the destiny of our people to advance amid challenges," said Diaz-Canel.

He considered that in these months of the pandemic, the country had witnessed daily feats in people of all kinds of trades, even in children.

"Each day was one of growth and learning, but we were never discouraged," said the President.

In another moment of his address, the Head of State considered that the Ordering Task is the most complicated endeavor the country will face in the coming months.

Regarding the monetary reform, he affirmed that there are great doubts regarding salaries and electricity rates, but he stressed that all opinions will be heard and what must be corrected will be corrected. "The Revolution insists that no one will be left behind," he reiterated.

"This has been the fourth and final year of a U.S. government with a marked commitment to anti-Cuban sectors. Their intention to bring us to our knees, break the resistance of the Revolution and force us to make concessions has been a complete failure," he said.

Concerning relations with the United States, Diaz-Canel said that the country can discuss any issue, but he anticipated that principles and sovereignty will never be negotiable.

The Parliament analyzed 2020's economic performance and approved the plan for next year, which projects growth between six and seven percent, and expects to gradually overcome the contraction of the Gross Domestic Product registered in 2020.

In this regard, the President set as priorities to boost exports, import replacement, and to link productive actors, including non-state actors and foreign investment.

Legislators approved the 2021 budget with emphasis on social spending, particularly health, welfare, and education.

During the sixth session of the IX Legislature, the institutionalization process's advances continued after the approval of the new Constitution in April 2019.

A readjustment of the legislative schedule was approved. It foresees the discussion of 10 laws next year and 15 in 2022.