The States of Social Rights in Cuba. Report #9 (2026)

Extreme poverty in Cuba now affects 94% of the population, and disapproval of the government has risen to 95%, up three points from the previous year.

Before this year is out, a significant and favorable change for the Cuban people could take place, according to half of those surveyed—but few expect it to come from measures taken by the government; 76% want that change to include political and economic transformations.

Blackouts represent the main problem and the top priority for a solution cited by respondents (70%), followed by the food crisis (52%), the cost of living (45%), public health (healthcare and medicines, 34%), wages (27%), and insecurity and violence (24%).

As for the food situation, 8 out of 10 Cubans have skipped breakfast, lunch, or dinner due to a lack of money or food shortages. 68% of respondents reported monthly household incomes below 20,000 Cuban pesos (30 dollars at today’s exchange rate). This figure reveals a marked gap between family incomes and the cost of covering basic needs, according to independent estimates.

The regime’s economic and social management is largely rated negatively; the performance of the Miguel Díaz-Canel and Manuel Marrero Cruz duo earns a positive assessment from only 3% of citizens.

Along these lines, 84% distrust the latest economic measures announced by Havana and believe they will not improve the country’s economic situation, while 6% expect a favorable effect. 7% don’t know, while 3% preferred not to answer.

In this report we also asked about infrastructure and services in 79 municipalities (including the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud), across all of the country’s provinces, and the responses reveal a widespread collapse. The electrical infrastructure is the worst rated: 95% consider its condition to be bad; it is followed by garbage collection and landfill management (87%), as well as internet and telephone services, with a dissatisfaction rate of 86%. Close behind are water and sewage systems (84%), hospitals and health centers (82%), and roads, which also receive a predominantly negative assessment in every province (80%). Nationwide, 74% also consider the condition of housing and buildings to be bad.

These results lay bare the political and economic exhaustion of the Cuban regime. Its management is widely rejected by citizens, and its measures inspire no confidence. Yet it is the people who bear the burden of the decline—especially the elderly and the chronically ill.

The Government cannot keep blaming external factors for the consequences of its own decisions. The unproductive model, dependent on other countries, lies at the root of the problem—as do its priorities. While there was a shortage of food, medicine, electricity, and decent housing, resources did appear to build luxury hotels controlled by GAESA or to hold international culinary festivals. While there are no ambulances, there are police cars and other resources for repression.

The majority demand for political and economic transformations confirms that Cubans do not want tweaks or new promises, but a profound change that brings political, economic, and social rights.