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More than 22,000 Cubans entered Uruguay in 2025, marking the highest number recorded to date and solidifying that community as the fastest-growing one in the South American country.
According to a report by El Observador, written by journalist Tomer Urwicz and published on February 7, 2026, the year concluded with a record influx of Cuban citizens and also a peak in the number of documents issued.
According to data obtained through a public information request, 13,852 Cubans received their Uruguayan citizenship for the first time in 2025, becoming the foreign nationality with the most new documents issued, five times more than Argentinians, Brazilians, or Venezuelans.
The migration balance was also positive: while more than 22,000 Cubans entered Uruguay, around 7,000 people left the country, which explains the net growth in the population.
According to data from the National Migration Directorate (DNM), this latest figure positions nationals from the Island as the group receiving the most identity documents, aside from Uruguayans themselves, outpacing Argentinians (2,635), Brazilians (2,564), and Venezuelans (2,042) by five times.
The Uruguayan media illustrates the phenomenon with the story of Carlos, a Cuban who decided to emigrate after months of enduring prolonged power outages and difficulties in accessing food and fuel.
In their case, a power outage that lasted for hours spoiled the food they had bought with great effort, amid a routine marked by the instability of electricity service.
Testimonials collected by the UruVene organization, which supports migrants, indicate that power outages can exceed 10 to 12 hours a day depending on the area.
This is compounded by the scarcity of domestic gas, making food preparation difficult when there is a lack of electricity and fuel at the same time. The water supply also varies from one region to another.
The organization Uruvene, which helps migrants arriving for the first time in that country, stated that in 2025 they assisted 942 Cubans, surpassing the number of Venezuelans, which was 300.
In economic terms, the report notes that in an optimistic scenario, an average worker can earn about 10,000 Cuban pesos per month, equivalent to around 400 dollars, including support from family members abroad.
However, the prices of basic products are quite high: a whole chicken can cost $150, a carton of eggs $116, a package of milk $63, and a liter of soybean oil $42.
The health situation is among the greatest concerns. Essential medications must be purchased on the informal market at high prices.
A urinary catheter can cost around 45 dollars, according to the cited testimonies, while in Uruguay its price is significantly lower.
Amidst power outages, shortages, and difficulties in accessing basic goods, Uruguay has become one of the most preferred destinations for Cubans seeking better living conditions, marking 2025 as a record year for migration from the island to that country.
The regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo ordered this past Sunday to cancel the visa exemption for Cuban citizens entering Nicaragua with regular passports, a measure that has been in effect since November 2021.
Now, Cubans with a regular passport are changing their migration status from "A" (visa-exempt) to "C" (consulted visas at no cost).
The decision closes one of the main migration routes used by those born on the island and leaves Uruguay as one of the current destinations for fleeing the Caribbean country.
In this regard, since 2025, Uruguay has established itself as one of the welcoming destinations for Cuban migrants.
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