Fidel Castro may be knocking at death’s door after three failed operations, as reported by the Spanish paper El País, or he may be “slowly recovering”, as a Spanish doctor who examined him in December insists, but the line in Cuba remains “stay the course”, even as a change of leadership is being prepared.

“Continuity” is the word José Luis Rodríguez, the economy and planning minister, emphasises when asked about economic policy. “Continuity” is the word Carlos Lage, the vice-president, insists on when referring to the political situation.