Cuba faces 94% extreme poverty rate and widespread social crisis

A report by the Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos (OCDH) indicates that extreme poverty in Cuba has reached 94% of the population. Based on 1,318 interviews conducted between June and July 2026, the study shows that 68% of households report monthly incomes below 20,000 Cuban pesos, approximately 30 USD. This level of income falls below the World Bank's extreme poverty threshold.

Citizens identified electricity blackouts as their primary concern (70%), followed by food crises (52%), the cost of living (45%), and public health (34%). Notably, eight out of ten respondents reported skipping meals due to lack of funds or food scarcity. The report also highlights a significant loss of confidence in the government, with a 95% disapproval rating and only 3% positive valuation for Miguel Díaz-Canel and Manuel Marrero Cruz.

Exiled writer Vicente Echerri described the nation as being in a state of freefall toward chaos, comparing the severity of the situation to Haiti. He noted that families are facing extreme hardship due to heat and lack of electricity, sometimes sleeping in streets or ditches.