Statistics provided by totalitarian communist regimes are not worth the paper they are printed on. Remember how the East Germans provided statitics showing they were in the top 10 world economies and industrial powers. Within a few months of the collapse of the regime, East Germany was shown to be dependent on foreign bank loans, faulty accounting, massive debt owned to western countries, and huge payments from West Germany, including the ever profitable cash for dissidents policy which helped pay for the western food, including bananas, western music and good and culgture enoyed by the Honeckers and the rest of the elite in their gated cities...gated...walled...surrounded by gaurds...shot to kill anyone who approached.....clearly the leaders were terrified of their thankful rejoincing citizens. A to the demonstrations, everyone shouting viva Fidel, the government and party order schools, workplaces shut down..you show up...or you are in trouble....demoted at work..no promotion..etc.