Related videos:
Cuban economist Pedro Monreal stated this Wednesday that 100% of state workers in Cuba are living in extreme poverty, according to the international standards set by the World Bank.
In a post on Facebook, Monreal explained that Cuba did not report poverty data for the latest report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), titled “Social Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025.”
However, applying the World Bank's extreme poverty line—defined as $2.15 per person per day—the average state salary on the island (6,685 Cuban pesos per month) places all public employees below that threshold.
"Extreme poverty (also known as destitution) is the situation in which one lacks sufficient income to cover at least the basic needs for food," Monreal recalled.
The calculation was made using the official exchange rate of 1 USD = 120 CUP, which amounts to 55.7 dollars per month, or less than 1.86 dollars per day.
According to the economist, if the rate of the informal market were applied —where the dollar exceeds 300 Cuban pesos— “the disaster would be much worse.”
Cuba is among the countries that did not submit poverty estimates for the CEPAL study, unlike other nations that may lack official data but allow the use of national measurements based on World Bank standards.
Monreal cited the example of Brazil, which appears in the report with statistics from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The economist, who has been one of the most critical voices in the analysis of the Cuban economy, warned that the absence of official data in the regional report reflects the regime's lack of transparency regarding the most sensitive social indicators, such as poverty and inequality.
Monreal has insisted that state salaries in Cuba do not cover basic needs such as food, housing, or transportation, and that most workers depend on remittances, family assistance, or informal activities to survive.
Their analysis adds to the warnings from international organizations and independent economists who describe Cuba as a country in social and economic emergency, characterized by uncontrolled inflation, loss of purchasing power, and a decline in the standard of living for the population.
Extreme poverty affects 89% of Cubans, and 78% wish to emigrate, according to the Eighth Study on the State of Social Rights in Cuba, published last September by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH).
The organization warned that power outages, the food crisis, the cost of living, low wages, and the deterioration of public health are the main factors impacting the population, while the authorities continue to deny the magnitude of the problems or blame others.
In this context, a recent survey conducted by CiberCuba revealed the extent of the desire to emigrate among Cubans, with 93% of participants stating they would leave the country tomorrow if given the chance. Only 5% said they would not, and 2% reported that they have already attempted to do so.
Filed under: