The National Assembly of People's Power unanimously approved last Thursday, July 30, the liquidation of the State Budget for 2025, in a session where the regime presented the fiscal results as a demonstration of economic stability, despite the ongoing crisis affecting the population.
The report was presented by the Minister of Finance and Prices, Vladimir Regueiro Ale, to the deputies in the presence of Miguel Díaz-Canel, as reported by the official account of Presidencia Cuba on Facebook.
According to official figures, the fiscal deficit closed at 67.642 billion pesos, equivalent to 5.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), nearly 21 billion pesos below the initially authorized maximum limit of 88.5389 billion.
State revenues amounted to 463.461 billion pesos, which is 2% above expectations, while expenditures reached 518.543 billion, representing an execution of 97.9% of the approved budget.
The government highlighted that taxes accounted for 68.6% of revenue, with a collection of 311.074 billion pesos. It also noted that the National Tax Administration Office (ONAT) recovered 7.14 billion pesos in tax debts, an increase of 45% compared to the previous year.
According to the report, 64% of public spending was allocated to Public Health, Education, Assistance, and Social Security. The healthcare system alone received over 75 billion pesos, while Social Security executed 60,691 million, including a partial increase in pensions for approximately 1.59 million retirees.
However, the document itself acknowledges that issues such as tax evasion and underreporting of income persist. Furthermore, although 98% of taxpayers already have tax bank accounts, their utilization remains limited.
The official figures prompted numerous critical reactions on social media, where many Cubans questioned whether these results truly reflect the everyday reality of a country marked by blackouts, scarcity of food and medicine, and the deterioration of public services.
"I would like to know what happened to this year's education budget for 2025. Payments are delayed by up to 15 days. We have gone on vacation and still have not been paid for the last month of work or for our vacation," wrote a worker from the sector.
Another user ironically summarized their perception of the report: "Despite being screwed, we're less screwed, something like that."
Skepticism also contrasts with independent estimates of the performance of the Cuban economy. The Center for Cuban Economic Studies calculates that the country's GDP contracted by about 5% in 2025, accumulating a decline of over 15% since 2020. Díaz-Canel himself had previously acknowledged a contraction of over 4% during the first three quarters of the year.
While the official report attributes the economic difficulties to inflation, the volatility of international prices for fuels and food, as well as the U.S. embargo, the figures were met with disbelief by many citizens, who contrasted them with a reality characterized by prolonged blackouts, shortages, and a sustained decline in purchasing power.
By 2026, the budget approved by Parliament anticipates revenues of 484.121 billion pesos, expenses of 550.590 billion pesos, and a maximum authorized fiscal deficit of 74.500 billion pesos.
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