The Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, assured on Monday during the Round Table that the Cuban government has guaranteed pension payments in the budget, amid an economic crisis that is particularly affecting the elderly.
According to the official explained on the government program Mesa Redonda, 66% of the planned expenses for this year are focused on the social area, prioritizing sectors such as health, education, assistance, and social security.
In that context, he acknowledged that the pension system faces "a significant challenge," but defended that the budget will allow for a partial increase for retirees, although he admitted that this increase "does not provide a complete solution" to the low incomes they receive.
Regueiro Ale noted that this partial increase in pensions amounts to more than 20 billion pesos projected for 2026 and affirmed that these funds are backed by the state budget. "It is a priority," he insisted, while assuring that "every month our pensioners will have those pensions guaranteed."
The minister linked this financing capacity to what he referred to as a "better structure" of the budget, a result—he said—of the measures taken as part of the macroeconomic stabilization program initiated by the Government. He also emphasized the importance of revenue generation as a key variable to sustain social spending in the current scenario.
The statements come at a time when thousands of Cuban retirees survive on incomes that do not even cover the most basic needs, in a country marked by inflation, shortages of food and medicine, and a decline in purchasing power. Although the government insists on budgetary guarantees, for many retirees the question remains the same: does that money really suffice to live on?
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