HAVANA, October 10 (Carlos Alberto Domínguez, Cuba-Verdad / CubaNet)
- The Cuban peso lost value in relation to the U. S. dollar, from 22 to 1 to 23
to 1, following the beginning of hostilities in Afghanistan.
On Monday, October 8, the chain of official foreign currency changing
houses, CADECA, quoted the peso at 23 to the dollar, whereas the rate at closing
the previous business day had been 22 to 1. That rate had been stable for some
months.
Residents expect an economic slowdown, citing a drastic decrease in tourism
and in remittances from abroad, primarily the United States, as reasons.
"The crisis in Cuba grows as a result of the impact on the world
economy of the terrorist attacks of September 11, and will get worse with the
war in Afghanistan," said one resident.
The man went on to comment on the increasing dependency of the Cuban economy
on foreign trade, now that even some agricultural products that used to be grown
domestically have to be imported.
Versión
original en español
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