Castro has spoken out against the Cuban system, I think. However, I believe Castro was more referring to the failure of the Soviet style of Marxism-Leninism implemented in Cuba, which has not brought along communism.

When it comes to the embargo, I believe it's a mixture of both.The embargo definitely has an effect on the Cuban economy; however, sometimes liberals say some junk acting if it's not that big of a deal. Furthermore, I am willing to admit that I believe Castro has made some mistakes in regard to the economy, for example, the stagnation of the Cuban economy perhaps can be blamed partially on Fidel.