Raul has been saying Cuban-style communism does not work ever since he took over from his brother.
Mostly because it was propped up by (formerly)Russian rubles that no longer exist, let alone the lack of interest in supplying the rubles, let alone propping up the regiem.
The Cubans are slowly starting to realize that they need to offer the outside world something other than the delights of the past: cheap sugar, excellent sex vacations, and a fairly decent split between the state and the Mafia on gambling profits. I think they long ago realized that there are not enough snobs to make any real money off cigars and that the anti-smoking crowd would eventually kill off that goose anyhow.
If anything, Cuba might realize a short-term windfall on body parts for classic cars although a good number of frames are literally baling wire and bubblegum patch jobs with jury-rigged engines.
I think Fidel is saying it in order to save face as the country starts to make the necessary turns away. If the Father of the Revolution supports it the people will agree with him and accept it even though it means they might lose their freebies.
Would you seriously want to tell folks used to getting a government welfare stipend that is not enough to live on, but comes with free access to less-than-adaquate health care and free access to education equal to about the 7th grade for all and university for the select that it is all going to end because it was all a mistake? In a country that rebelled against the previous regiem because they did not get even that? [OK, that was the very early party line. Then came the overturn-corruption and capitalism-is-bad lines.]
stay safe.
