According to the new ranking of global economic competitiveness by the World Economic Forum released this week, Latin America is losing ground in the global economy and is not taking the necessary actions to avoid further losses.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 , considered by experts in the field as the most comprehensive study of the ability to compete internationally in each country, measures, among other things , a country’s institutions , infrastructure, business climate , education, technological readiness and innovation.
Switzerland tops the list of the most competitive in the world, followed by Singapore, Finland , Germany , USA , Sweden , Hong Kong , Netherlands, Japan and England. The highest spots for Latin American countries are occupied by Chile (ranked 34) and Panama (40). At the bottom of the rankings, which account for the nations least able to compete in the world, the list currently includes Venezuela (134) and Haiti (143). An interesting fact is that Cuba is not even in the rankings, existing completely outside the universe of global economic competitiveness.
The poor economic policy promoted by the Castro regime has managed to create a country with zero competitiveness. The Cuban economic system promotes a policy forcing everyone down rather than everyone up. At all times, the dictatorship deprives liberties to its citizens to engage freely and establish economic relations based on the principle of individual freedom.
Thus, the knowledge gained by the people is incarcerated and cannot be used in order to satisfy their own needs. Cuba, conversely, would top the list of countries in the world had the Forum conducted a ranking of incompetence, lack of freedom and basic human rights , as well as hunger and least among empowerment of its inhabitants. The data reflected in the current ranking shows that countries where the market economy operates openly, progress rapidly. However, totalitarianism limits the freedoms of its citizens to the point where it decreases leadership and increases incompetence of leaders. Cuba is in need of a new generation of independent thinkers, leaders and entrepreneurs who encourage a free market economy and basic rights for its citizens.