Almost 200 thousand Cubans live in Spain

The number of Cubans residing in Spain has reached a historical maximum of almost 200,000, according to the latest data published by theStatistics National Institute (INE) of the Iberian country corresponding to January 1, 2023.

Until that date, 198,639 people born in Cuba were registered, of which 73,548 were residents.

The rest had obtained Spanish nationality and according to the INE, women lead the list with 107,987, surpassing men who total 90,652.

The graphs show the exponential growth of Cuban emigration to Spain that coincides with the exodus on the island, which is going through the worst migration crisis in its history since 2021.

In 2002, there were only 52,701 Cubans registered in theiberian nation, which contrasts with the almost 200,000 recorded a year ago.

The greatest increase is observed between 2021 and 2023, a period during which approximately 22,000 Cubans settled in Spain.

This increase coincides with the worsening of the economic and political crisis on the Island, especially after the repression unleashed after the protests of July 11 (11J).

INE also reports that requests for political asylum grew during the period. In 2023 there were 3,082 requests from people from Cuba, placing it in fifth place on the list of countries.

This registration represents more than double the requests from the previous period.

In 2022, the Spanish Government granted a total of 16,196 visas to Cuban citizens, covering categories such as tourism, studies and airport transit, reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.

The INE also reported that the general population of Spain reached 48,592,909 inhabitants on January 1, 2024.

In October 2023, the Consulate General of Havana said that theUntil then, Cubans were the ones who had received the most Spanish nationality since the Democratic Memory Law (LMD), known as the Grandchildren Law, was approved 10 months ago.

Until the end of August there were 15,000 endorsed applications, a figure well above that of Mexico City, which followed with more than 8,500.

In third place was the consulate of Córdoba, in Argentina, with 5,700 approved applications, and then those of Santiago de Chile and the Argentine consulates of Rosario and Mendoza, with more than 4,100 nationalities.