Havana, September 17 (RHC)-- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel praised the way the western province of Pinar del Río has reacted in the implementation of the measures to mitigate the difficult energy situation that the island is experiencing.

Speaking with local authorities on Monday, he acknowledged the measures undertaken by that territory to guarantee the vitality of services, the processing and distribution of food and also agriculture, despite the limitations imposed by the U.S. blockade on the island´s people.

Responsible for nearly 70 percent of Cuban tobacco production, Pinar del Río is approaching the beginning of the campaign in which it should cover 19,890 hectares with tobacco plants.

“This has been an exercise in real time for situations of a certain complexity, he said, and 'it has allowed us to face the deficiencies, prepare and systematize solutions,' he added.

The Cuban head of state also visited the neighboring western province of Artemisa, where he acknowledged its preparation for the current energy situation 

In an encounter with local party and government authorities, he noted the coherence of the work done in the province and pointed to the innovative use of personnel currently without work content being assigned as inspectors to support public transportation. 

Díaz-Canel said that the Cuban people is going to emerge stronger from this situation because 'in the same measure that solutions are found in the permanent reserve of creativity that we have, we will be better citizens, better revolutionaries and better public servants of the nation,' he stressed.

Since the announcement of the energy difficulties last week, Miguel Diaz-Canel is touring the island´s provinces to oversee the implementation of the measures adopted to mitigate the fuel deficit, and to hear feedback on initiatives adopted by local authorities.