AGP Executive Report

Cuba Energy & Infrastructure: Cuba’s school year is starting amid severe shortages of electricity, teachers, and supplies, with reports of buses not running due to the fuel crisis and hospitals advising stress care during blackouts. Science & Security: On the Isle of Youth, thieves stole the full equipment from a seismological station—including solar panels, batteries, and instruments—disrupting an earthquake and tsunami alert network. Health & Research: Cuban scientists are developing a home-grown cancer drug candidate (2C12), with reports of early human trials. Diplomacy & Tech Presence: China escalated its diplomatic pushback against the U.S. over Cuba, accusing Washington of Cold War bias and treating Latin America as a “backyard.” Regional Tech/Industry: China’s solar boom hit a milestone, overtaking coal by installed capacity for the first time, while broader U.S. policy moves target foreign-produced bulk-power equipment tied to national-security risks. Education & Culture: Guantánamo’s book fair returns Sept. 4–6, with a Fidel Castro centennial focus and new local titles.

Cuba’s school year under strain: With buses stuck due to the fuel crisis, 1.4 million students start classes amid shortages of teachers, uniforms, and electricity, as families adapt to a harsher daily reality. Cuban education & labor pressures abroad: The Bahamas says it won’t renew contracts for 31 Cuban teachers, adding to ongoing negotiations with the U.S. over Cuban health and education personnel. Local culture & research-minded reading: Guantánamo’s Book Fair (Sept. 4–6) spotlights Fidel Castro’s centennial and new titles from local publishers and researchers. Cuban health & science under blockade: Cuba begins human trials of a home-grown cancer drug candidate (2C12), while other coverage notes scientists struggling to keep working in-country. Tech for youth—outside Cuba but relevant: Mark Cuban Foundation AI bootcamps roll out in U.S. cities (Pontiac, Fort Wayne), offering hands-on generative AI training for underserved teens. Robotics spotlight: World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing highlights fast progress in humanoid performance, including a robot sprinting close to human sprint times.

Cuban Humanitarian Aid Push: A prominent Cuban-American group urges the Trump administration to carve out broad humanitarian exemptions from U.S. sanctions on Cuba, warning chronic blackouts and shortages of fuel, food, and medicine are worsening daily life. Cuban Health & Travel Barriers: A Cuban mother says her 7-year-old son with a rare chromosomal disorder has been accepted for specialized care in Argentina, but the family’s next hurdle is getting travel arranged. Education Under Pressure: The Bahamas says it won’t renew contracts for 31 of 110 Cuban teachers while negotiations with the U.S. over Cuban health personnel status continue. School Disruptions in Cuba: Reports highlight Cuba’s school year starting amid severe shortages of teachers, uniforms, and electricity, with guidance for coping during blackouts. Food Security Question: A BBC analysis revisits why Cuba can’t feed itself, citing steep drops in pork, rice, beans, and milk production alongside the impact of sanctions and internal agricultural failures. Renewables Policy Move: Cuba’s tax authority announces a one-year exemption on sales of renewable energy technologies to boost investment, tied to new accounting transparency rules. Local Tech Development: Cuban scientists report progress on a home-grown ultrasonic bone consolidation device (“Boneconsol”) aimed at non-invasive orthopedic therapy. Public Science Spotlight: A viral wave of nostalgia follows new images showing the National Aquarium of Cuba in deteriorating condition.

Cuba Energy & Tax Policy: Cuba’s tax authority ONAT announced a one-year exemption on sales of renewable energy technologies for both individuals and businesses, under Resolution 180 (effective Aug. 5), requiring sellers to clearly separate renewable products in their accounting to keep the incentives transparent. Medical Tech & Research: Cuban scientists at ICIMAF are advancing “Boneconsol,” a medium-power ultrasonic system aimed at non-invasive bone consolidation therapy, moving through national validation to support orthopedic and rehab teams with domestically produced equipment. Cancer Drug Development: Cuba continues pushing home-grown biotech, with coverage highlighting progress on a home-grown cancer drug candidate (2C12) reaching human trials. Education Under Strain: Multiple reports focus on Cuba’s school-year restart amid shortages and an energy crisis, including teacher and supply gaps and guidance for coping with blackouts. Water & Infrastructure: Díaz-Canel visited water facilities as Havana faces a crisis affecting hundreds of thousands, underscoring how infrastructure bottlenecks shape daily life. International Solidarity: Cuba hosted the 1st International Colloquium “Fidel: Legacy and Future,” with Díaz-Canel framing it as solidarity amid intensifying blockade pressure.

Cuba’s Science & Health: Cuban scientists have begun human trials of a home-grown cancer drug candidate (2C12), underscoring how the island is pushing biotech forward despite the blockade. Energy & Daily Life: Cuba’s energy crisis is hitting schools and hospitals hard, with reports of the school year starting amid shortages and blackouts, plus a hospital advising patients on stress management during power cuts. Water & Climate Impacts: Drought is driving the Cauto River to historic lows, forcing families in Granma to use saline, muddy water drawn from the riverbed. Policy & Trade: Cuba updated its legal framework for domestic trade, aiming to keep commerce moving during ongoing economic strain. Culture & Research: A major Cuban short-story anthology, “Vindictas,” was presented at the Havana Book Fair, spotlighting new voices and archival work. Regional Tech/Science Angle: The Pacific Islands Forum opened in Palau with a focus on oceans, renewable energy, and resilient development—an outside signal of where climate tech partnerships are heading.

Cuba’s Trade Rules Get a Tech Upgrade: Cuba’s Official Gazette published new regulations to reorganize the legal framework for domestic trade, including Decree 167 (domestic trade rules) and Decree 168 (Central Commercial Registry rules), with mandatory compliance and a push to use information and communication technologies. Water Crisis in Eastern Cuba: Drought has sharply reduced the Cauto River’s flow, leaving families in Cauto Cristo relying on saline, muddy water drawn from the riverbed—an abrupt contrast to last year’s overflow after Hurricane Melissa. Cancer Research Under Blockade: Cuban scientists report progress on a home-grown cancer drug candidate, 2C12, including movement toward human trials. Cuba School Year Under Strain: Reports highlight teacher and supply shortages and the need to start the school year amid severe energy problems and ongoing electricity blackouts. Regional Energy Push: IRENA opened a call for renewable energy project proposals across Central America and the Caribbean, explicitly including Cuba, aiming to speed financing and de-risk deployments. Cuba Policy Pressure and Transition Debate: A FIU panel discussed possible scenarios for political transition in Cuba, with experts pointing to “more of the same” as the most likely near-term path.

Cuba’s domestic trade rules get an update: Cuba published new regulations to reorganize the legal framework for domestic commerce, including Decree 167 (“On Domestic Trade”) and Decree 168, with mandatory Central Commercial Registry compliance and a push to use information and communication technologies. Water crisis deepens in eastern Cuba: Drought has cut the Cauto River to historic lows, leaving families in Cauto Cristo dependent on saline, muddy water drawn from the riverbed. Agriculture 4.0 spotlight: Díaz-Canel visited ICIMAF to highlight a drone-and-robotics precision agriculture project, even as many Cubans question when food production will improve. Cancer research moves forward: Cuba’s home-grown cancer drug candidate 2C12 has entered human trials. Renewables funding call: IRENA opened a call for renewable energy project proposals across Central America and the Caribbean, explicitly including Cuba, with potential support via its Climate Investment Platform and financing accelerator. Energy strain hits daily life: A Camagüey journalist reported nearly 48 hours without electricity and trouble filing complaints—another sign of the strain during the school-year restart. Cuba-related sanctions pressure: Cuba again condemned U.S. restrictions on access to medicines and medical supplies, as activists in Massachusetts staged “No to war against Cuba” banners. Tech and automation in Cuba: The week also featured coverage of Cuba’s push toward robotics and automation in agriculture and other sectors, despite shortages and blackouts.

Cuba’s Trade Rules Get a Tech-Ready Overhaul: Cuba’s Official Gazette published new regulations to reorganize domestic trade, including Decree 167 (“On Domestic Trade”) and Decree 168, which strengthens the Central Commercial Registry and makes compliance mandatory for authorized traders, with an explicit push for information and communication technologies. Agriculture 4.0 Pushes Drones Into Cuban Farms: Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted a precision agriculture project at ICIMAF using drones and robotic platforms for monitoring and crop treatment—coming as many Cubans question when food output (like beans and vegetables) will rise. School Year Moves Forward Despite Shortages: Cuba will start the school year for 1.4 million students amid an energy and economic crisis, with more flexible in-person schedules and uniform rules; Camagüey also faces a near-3,000-teacher deficit. Health Under Blackouts: A Cuban hospital in Santa Clara issued guidance on managing chronic stress during prolonged blackouts and scarcity, recommending breathing exercises, sleep, gentle activity, and mindfulness. Cancer Drug Trial Advances: Cuba’s home-grown cancer drug candidate 2C12 moves into human trials, signaling progress despite the US blockade. Renewables Funding Call for the Region (Including Cuba): IRENA opened a call for renewable energy projects across Central America and the Caribbean, with potential support via its Climate Investment Platform and Energy Transition Accelerator Financing. Space Science Watch: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch from Kennedy Space Center, with Florida weather the main uncertainty.

Cuba’s “Agriculture 4.0” push: Díaz-Canel highlighted drone and robotic crop monitoring at ICIMAF in Havana, but online backlash focused on the urgent question of when staple production (like beans and greens) will actually rise. Health & biotech: Cuba’s Center for Molecular Immunology says it has developed cancer drug candidate 2C12, described as similar to pembrolizumab, as the country struggles to source medicines under the blockade. Education under strain: Cuba will start the school year Sept. 1 despite teacher and uniform shortages and energy disruptions, with more flexible in-person attendance rules. Power and water reliability: Díaz-Canel visited the Paso Seco water source as maintenance and backup power upgrades aim to keep Havana pumping during prolonged outages. Medical services hit by banking block: A Cuban doctors’ Italy income account at BPER reportedly stayed inactive/frozen since late July, blocking transfers tied to CSMC earnings. Science in the field: A Pinar del Río photographer captured a dramatic lightning scene during a thunderstorm, turning everyday infrastructure into a viral science-and-nature moment.

Cuban Biotech Breakthrough: Cuba’s Center for Molecular Immunology says it has developed cancer drug candidate 2C12, described as similar to pembrolizumab, as scientists push ahead despite U.S. blockade-linked shortages of medicines and raw materials. Education Under Strain: Cuba will start the new school year for about 1.4 million students on Sept. 1 despite teacher and uniform shortages, using more flexible in-person attendance and schedules to keep classes running. Water + Energy Crisis Response: President Díaz-Canel visited the Paso Seco water supply source as Havana’s water disruptions worsen, with repairs and backup power support aimed at keeping pumps running during outages. Renewables Legacy: Cuban solar pioneer Luis Bérriz Pérez—founder of Cubasolar and a key figure behind the Solar Energy Research Center—has died, marking the loss of a long-time renewable energy advocate. Energy Policy Watch (US): A new U.S. executive order expands scrutiny of foreign-produced bulk-power equipment, a reminder of how geopolitics can ripple into power and storage projects.

Water Crisis Response: Díaz-Canel inspected Havana’s Paso Seco water facilities as a pipeline break left multiple municipalities without water, with emergency generator work aimed at keeping pumps running during outages. Sanctions & Medicines: Cuba again condemned U.S. restrictions on access to medicines and biopharma inputs, pointing to the Center of Molecular Immunology’s cancer candidate 2C12 as proof of local scientific progress despite supply barriers. Cancer Research Milestone: Cuba’s 2C12 effort is framed as a bid for medical sovereignty, with the treatment compared to pembrolizumab in how it helps the immune system target tumors. Solar Energy Loss: Cuban solar pioneer Luis Bérriz Pérez, founder of Cubasolar and creator of the Solar Energy Research Center, has died, marking a blow to renewable-energy research in the country. School Year Under Strain: Cuba plans to start the school year on Sept. 1 for about 1.5 million students, even as shortages and infrastructure problems persist, with “flexibility” and added support programs. Healthcare Costs Debate (U.S.): Mark Cuban and Senate candidate James Talarico unveiled a plan to break up “big medicine” monopolies to lower drug and care prices. Tech in Motion: A new electric “seaglider” concept, REGENT Viceroy, is pushing ground-effect coastal transport toward near-aircraft performance. Robotics Sports: Beijing’s World Humanoid Robot Games saw humanoids smash sprint records, underscoring how fast robotics and AI are advancing. Humanitarian Health Story: New photos of Amanda Lemus Ortiz in Spain renewed calls for Cuba’s health system to share her case as proof that a transplant was possible.

Cuban Cancer Breakthrough: Cuba’s Centre for Molecular Immunology says its home-grown cancer drug 2C12 is ready to move into human trials for advanced melanoma, with specialist oncology centers in Havana and Villa Clara. School Year Push: Cuba plans to start the new school year on September 1 for 1.5 million children and adolescents, using “flexibility,” double sessions in some schools, and added cultural, sports, and technology activities. Humanoid Robotics Race: China’s World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing saw robots smash sprint records, including a 100m run faster than Usain Bolt’s mark, underscoring how fast humanoid AI is advancing. Hurricane Watch: Tropical Storm Dolly has formed in the Atlantic and early forecasts suggest possible impacts across the Caribbean, with potential effects reaching Cuba and Florida. US Military Court Timeline: Guantanamo Bay’s court set June 5, 2028 for the trial of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Tech & Learning Access: Mark Cuban Foundation and NCUS TEC are running a free AI bootcamp for high school students in Columbus, with hands-on generative AI and a capstone project.

Cancer Research in Cuba: Cuban scientists say home-grown drug 2C12 is ready to move into human trials for advanced melanoma, with early studies planned at Havana and Villa Clara oncology centers. Cuba Tech & Industry: President Díaz-Canel met private-sector representatives to push ongoing dialogue across food, energy, transport and legal sectors as Cuba seeks growth and competitiveness. Cuba Mining Under Sanctions: Antilles Gold’s Cuban copper-gold project faces a U.S. regulatory test after Minera La Victoria was added to the SDN list, forcing the company to seek a U.S.-based investor to keep the project moving. Wildlife Tracking: A satellite monitoring effort in the Yucatán equipped Caribbean flamingos with French tracking devices, mapping routes up to 5,500 km and highlighting wetland pressures through 2030. AI in Education (US, relevant to Cuba’s AI debate): Albuquerque Public Schools will keep using the Amira reading program but reduce voice recording and delete data more often amid privacy concerns. Robotics Showcase: Beijing’s World Humanoid Robot Games set new sprint and jumping records, underscoring fast progress alongside limits for real-world use. Online Safety (Meta): Meta agreed to a sweeping $18B settlement over claims about social media addiction harms to kids, including new restrictions for minors. Cuba & Human Rights: Amnesty says more than 27,000 solidarity letters reached Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara in Miami after years of imprisonment.

Cuban Cancer Research: The Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM) says its new drug candidate “2C12” is ready for patient testing in advanced melanoma, aiming to expand affordable immunotherapy options amid Cuba’s blockade-linked medicine access problems. Cuban Health Education: Guáimaro’s Municipal University Center lays out enrollment for the 2026-2027 cycle (starting Sept. 1), including regular daytime courses and encounter-course pathways, with local support via popular councils. Cuban Tech for Conservation: A satellite-tracking project by the Pedro and Elena Hernández Foundation fitted Caribbean flamingos in the Yucatán with French devices, mapping routes up to 5,500 km and highlighting wetland degradation risks through 2030. Cuban Human Rights & Global Solidarity: Amnesty International delivered more than 27,000 solidarity letters to Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara in Miami, underscoring calls for his freedom and return without surveillance. Cuba-US Policy Pressure: Havana condemned Trump’s extension of the Trading With the Enemy Act until Sept. 2027, calling it a “genocidal policy” amid an intensified oil embargo. Cuba Private Sector Dialogue: Díaz-Canel met with private-sector representatives to push ongoing, structured communication across food, energy, transport, and legal sectors to support growth and competitiveness.

Electric Mobility & Waste Services: China’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, promoted Chinese-made electric tricycles used for trash collection in Havana, framing the move as support for public services and the island’s energy transition amid fuel shortages and blackouts. US Sanctions & Cuba’s Energy Crisis: Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez denounced Trump’s renewal of the Trading With the Enemy Act until September 2027 as “genocidal,” saying it deepens the economic, financial, and commercial blockade during an acute oil embargo. Medical Education Access in Santiago de Cuba: First-year medical students in Santiago de Cuba protested plans to centralize teaching at a faculty in the provincial capital, warning that relocation and dorm conditions could force families to choose between studying and basic food needs. Immigration Enforcement Hits Cuban Artists: ICE explained the detention of Cuban percussionist Degnis Bofill after he allegedly violated admission terms, while his wife disputed the basis and said he entered legally with an asylum process pending. Tech & Robotics Spotlight: Chinese humanoid robots at Beijing’s World Humanoid Robot Games reportedly shattered human sprint and jumping records, underscoring fast advances in robotics that are now drawing global attention. Local Journalism Loss: Ciego de Ávila’s Periódico Invasor mourned founder Héctor Paz Alomar, a long-time journalist and researcher known for decades of local reporting.

Cuban health alert: Santiago de Cuba reported a food-poisoning outbreak in José Martí Pérez, with 52 treated and 18 hospitalized (including pregnant women and minors), while authorities say the likely source has been identified pending lab confirmation. Cuban tech & environment: In Holguín, Vertice replaced remaining R-22 refrigerant in air-conditioning units with R-407A, earning provincial recognition for ozone protection and citing ISO 9001/14001/45001-backed quality, environmental, and safety management. Cuban housing history: A new piece revisits Cuba’s Microbrigadas program, explaining how worker-led collective construction plus state technical oversight reshaped Havana’s neighborhoods in the 1970s. Global robotics (Cuba-relevant): Beijing’s World Humanoid Robot Games saw humanoids break human records, including a robot beating Usain Bolt’s 100m mark—then crashing into a wall—highlighting fast progress and remaining control limits. US policy shift affecting Cuba: The US removed Syria from its terrorism sponsor list, leaving Cuba still on the remaining SST designation list.