The Cuban regime launched the Sovereignty digital platform at the beginning of November to gather public opinions on the 176 economic and social transformations approved in June, when a significant portion of the program already had defined policies and procedures and had made considerable progress in its regulatory development.
According to the official figures as of November 10, 172 out of 176 measures had approved policies and procedures. Additionally, 231 legal norms had been developed, of which 131 were published in the Official Gazette.
This does not mean that all the transformations are in effect or have been implemented, but it does demonstrate that the main decisions were made before opening the public consultation.
The package was approved on June 17 by an extraordinary plenary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and ratified by the National Assembly the following day, without prior organization of a public consultation regarding its content.
The authorities presented the transformations as a result of extensive debates, although these took place within the organs of the political system itself, such as the Political Bureau, the Central Committee, the Council of Ministers, and the National Assembly. The population did not participate in an equivalent process prior to the approval of the program.
The 176 measures, organized into 23 thematic areas, encompass wage reforms, subsidies, prices, taxes, state-owned enterprises, private property, banking, foreign investment, and public services, among other sectors of the national economy.
A consultation without clear guarantees of changes
The Soberanía platform allows users to search for transformations by number, keyword, or thematic area, consult related legal provisions, and submit opinions, concerns, and proposals. Users can also later modify their assessments and do not need a digital identity to participate.
According to explained Wilfredo González Vidal, director general of the Digital Government Center, the responses will be processed to identify trends and prepare reports for the agencies responsible for economic and social policies.
However, the authorities have not clarified whether the majority rejection of a measure could lead to its modification or repeal, nor what mechanisms would allow participants to be informed of the decisions made based on their proposals.
Although opinions could help address implementation issues, it has not been clarified how far citizens' ability to question decisions that have already been made will extend.
The acknowledges in its article 80 the right of citizens to participate in public consultations and other forms of democratic involvement. However, article 108, section c), leaves it to the discretion of the National Assembly to submit laws for prior consultation, meaning that the absence of this procedure does not necessarily imply illegality.
The issue is primarily political: what real capacity do citizens have to influence decisions that have already been made? Articles 10 and 101 of the Constitution itself establish obligations for attention to the population, popular control, and transparency.
The scope of this consultation will also depend on the Government publishing the opinions received, explaining which ones it accepts or rejects, and allowing us to know if any of them lead to a review of the questioned measures.
There is also the risk that participation figures will end up being presented as a show of social support, without adequately distinguishing between favorable opinions, criticisms, and rejections. The Government controls both the processing of comments and the subsequent decisions regarding the questioned measures.
Blackouts and lack of connectivity: another barrier to participation
The digital consultation also stumbles upon the material difficulties that a significant part of the Cuban population faces in accessing the internet, especially during prolonged blackouts.
In Santiago de Cuba, Ricardo Serrano Díaz, the territorial director of ETECSA, acknowledged that between 140 and 150 mobile phone towers were out of service daily due to a lack of electricity or fuel for the generators.
The energy situation remains critical. For Saturday, November 14, the Electric Union forecasted a availability of only 970 megawatts against a demand of 2,800 MW during peak hours, which corresponds to about 35% of the expected needs.
These limitations hinder the participation of those who experience prolonged power outages. Residents of rural areas, the elderly, and low-income families face additional obstacles in accessing the platform, which may exclude sectors that are particularly affected by economic reforms from the process.
The contrast with the constitutional consultation of 2018 is significant. According to official figures, 133,681 meetings were held at neighborhoods, workplaces, and other institutions, during which 783,174 proposals were collected before the parliamentary approval of the final text.
For the 176 economic transformations of 2026, a similar process was not organized. The public was invited to give their opinions when the program had already been approved and much of its legal provisions had been drafted or published.
The skepticism expressed by numerous Cubans since the announcement of the measures adds another difficulty for the Government, which continues to fail in demonstrating sufficient economic results to regain public trust.
In an analysis published this Sunday, Infobae warns about the gap between the administrative progress of the program and the material improvements that the population should be experiencing.
The opening of Soberanía will allow for the collection of opinions on that process, but it is still to be determined whether the Government will publish the detailed results, explain which proposals it accepts or rejects, and offer citizens any effective opportunity to influence the review of the measures.
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