Omar Everleny Pérez, Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy.

Moderated by Jorge Domínguez, Department of Government, Harvard University.

Abstract:
In his seminar, Professor Pérez will explore recent and upcoming transformations in the Cuban economic model, which has found itself in the midst of a dramatic redefinition during the last two years. As the Cuban socialist model of the last fifty years has reached its limits, structural problems associated with the centrally planned economy have led to the worsening of many of Cuba’s economic indicators, including GDP, investments, diversity of exports, external debt, and the quality of social services provided to citizens.  Now, the Cuban government plans to cede to the market many activities it cannot carry out efficiently, shifting thousands of jobs to the private sector.  Cuban economists differ in their understandings of how these transformations should best be handled, but many agree that it will be useful to look for examples from other countries, such as China and Vietnam, as Cuba attempts to advance toward a socialist model distinct from what it has known thus far. 
 
Bio:
Omar Everleny Pérez is Professor at the University of Havana and Director of the Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy. Dr. Pérez earned his doctorate in economics at the University of Havana. He has published more than 70 works on the Cuban and the international economies. His recent publications include Cuban Economic and Social Development: Policy Reforms and Challenges in the 21st Century (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2012) with Lorena Barberia, Jorge Domínguez, and Mayra Espina Prieto and Miradas a la economía cubana (La Habana: Editorial Caminos, 2009).

This event will be conducted in Spanish.