U.S. Investment in Cuba Will Reinforce the Military

Though Cuba is on the edge of a political transition, the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) will play a major role in post-Castro Cuba. The United States and Cuba have made diplomatic strides toward reconciliation, and recent economic changes have enabled American businesses to increase their investment in the island. The tourism sector in particular will experience a boost in revenues, and state-owned companies run by the military will also benefit. First Vice President Miguel Mario Diaz-Canel Bermudez, a civilian, is formally set to take over the presidency in 2018. However, as U.S. investment in the country increases, the military's integration into the economy will ensure that it maintains its power.