"We continue advancing and the results are noticeable. We move at a faster pace than what is imagined by those who criticize our supposed slowness and ignore the difficulties we face," Raul Castro said at a cabinet meeting with his ministers.

　　During the meeting, Adel Yzquierdo, Minister of Economy and Planning, said the country expects for this semester a growth of 2.3 percent, two tenths higher over the same period last year, despite external obstacles and damages left by the Hurricane Sandy.

　　Yzquierdo stressed that most sectors increased their contribution to the overall economic growth, specially trade, transportation, communications and manufacturing.

　　Since taking office in 2008, Raul Castro has pushed for more than 300 economic reforms, which were designed to pull the country out of a crisis dated to 1990.