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Cuba once again ranks among the countries with the least economic freedom in the world. The 2026 Economic Freedom Index, produced by the Heritage Foundation, places the island at 175th out of 176 assessed economies, with a score of 25.2 out of 100, which categorizes it in the lowest tier of the ranking: "repressed" economies. Only North Korea is positioned lower.
The result places Cuba as the least free economy in all of America, far behind countries in the region such as Chile, Uruguay, or the Dominican Republic, which have systems that are more open to private investment and international trade.
The report analyzes twelve indicators grouped into key areas such as the rule of law, the size of government, regulatory efficiency, and market openness. In nearly all of these, Cuba receives very low ratings, reflecting an economic system where the state maintains a dominant control over productive and financial activities.
One of the most critical aspects highlighted is institutional weakness. The index assigns the island 27.7 points in property rights, 16 in judicial effectiveness, and 33 in governmental integrity, indicating severe issues in legal protection and the independence of institutions.
These conditions, according to the report, undermine investor confidence and hinder the creation and expansion of businesses, which are key factors for economic growth.
The document also highlights the restrictions faced by private activity. Cuba scores only 41.4 points in business freedom and 20 in labor freedom, indicators that reflect the regulatory obstacles to opening businesses or developing economic initiatives outside of state control.
The situation is similar when it comes to economic openness. The country scores 20 points in trade freedom and only 10 in investment and financial freedom, indicating a strongly closed economy to international capital and a financial system dominated by the State.
In addition, there is an extremely poor performance in public finances. In the index, Cuba receives zero points in both government spending and fiscal health, reflecting the structural weaknesses of the economic model and the burden of the state apparatus on the national economy.
The report also indicates that there is a strong relationship between economic freedom and prosperity. Countries classified as "free" or "mostly free" generate per capita incomes more than twice those of countries with low economic freedom, and up to three times higher than those of economies labeled as "repressed," a group that includes Cuba.
The ranking for this year is not a surprise. For decades, the island has consistently ranked at the bottom of the global rankings. In 2020, for example, it ranked 178 out of 180 countries, while in 2021 it ranked 176 out of 178, also among the economies with the least economic freedom in the world.
According to the index analysts, the main factor behind these results is the high level of state control over the Cuban economy. The state owns a large portion of the means of production, regulates foreign investment, controls the financial system, and maintains extensive restrictions on independent business activities.
In contrast, the global ranking for 2026 is led by Singapore, Switzerland, and Ireland, economies characterized by open markets, greater protection of private property, and more favorable regulations for entrepreneurship and investment.
The index, published annually since 1995, is based on data from the World Bank, international organizations, and specialized analyses to measure the level of economic freedom in each country.
Beyond the figures in the ranking, the results reflect a reality that millions of Cubans experience daily: a scarcity of economic opportunities, limitations for entrepreneurship, and a productive system characterized by state controls that, according to various analysts, continue to hinder growth and well-being on the island.
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