As the independent survey on Cuba's political and social outlook nears its closure, over 41,658 responses have been gathered, according to the live dashboard at encuestascuba.net. In just the last 24 hours, 2,552 additional entries have been recorded.
This effort, initiated on April 25 by over 20 independent Cuban digital media outlets, including El Toque, CiberCuba, 14ymedio, Árbol Invertido, Rialta, Alas Tensas, and Café Fuerte, faced immediate censorship as the Cuban regime blocked the survey URL, prompting participants on the island to use VPNs for access.
Analyzing the responses, approximately 58%—about 24,211—originated from within Cuba, while the remaining 42%, totaling 17,447, came from abroad, as determined by anonymous geolocation data.
Survey Findings: A Call for Change
The results are striking: a significant 94% of respondents expressed profound dissatisfaction with the current government system. Furthermore, 95% felt that citizens have no influence over the regime's decisions.
Support for a transition to a capitalist model with a liberal democratic government and market economy stood at 80%, and an overwhelming 99% favored removing the Communist Party as the sole political entity.
Identifying Cuba's Core Issues
When asked about the country's main challenges, 82.2% highlighted the absence of civil and political freedoms, 74.8% cited governmental inefficiency and stagnation, and 52.7% pointed to the economic crisis and scarcity of essential goods. Only 4.7% considered the U.S. embargo to be the principal issue.
In rating government figures, Raúl Castro and Miguel Díaz-Canel received a dismal average score of 1.1 out of five. Open-ended responses were blunt: "No PCC figure in Cuba has a favorable performance in my view, as none were elected by the Cuban people; all were appointed by Raúl Castro."
Opposition and International Figures Evaluated
Among opposition figures, Alina Bárbara López Hernández scored highest with a 3.7 out of five, followed by Rosa María Payá with 3.6. Internationally, Marco Rubio led with a score of 3.9, with Donald Trump trailing at 3.4. Delcy Rodríguez and Claudia Sheinbaum received the lowest international ratings of 1.6 and 1.7, respectively.
The Cuban government denounced the survey as a "statistical fraud" and "propagandistic setup" via Razones de Cuba, a platform tied to State Security. The official outlet Juventud Rebelde accused it of being manipulated by artificial intelligence and U.S. funding. The regime's hostility towards the survey since its inception signals its significant impact, according to organizers.
Independent critics, such as comedian Ulises Toirac, cautioned about potential self-selection biases and urban or university representation: "It's very challenging for such a survey to produce reliable numbers," he remarked.
José Jasán Nieves, director of El Toque, encapsulated the survey's significance: "Participants overwhelmingly demand a systemic change in Cuba."
Cuban Public Opinion on Government and Social Issues
What percentage of survey respondents are dissatisfied with Cuba's current government system?
A significant 94% of the survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the current government system in Cuba.
How did the Cuban government react to the independent survey?
The Cuban government labeled the survey as a "statistical fraud" and a "propagandistic setup," and accused it of being manipulated by artificial intelligence and funded by the U.S.
What are the main issues identified by the survey respondents in Cuba?
Respondents identified the lack of civil and political freedoms (82.2%), governmental inefficiency and stagnation (74.8%), and the economic crisis and scarcity of goods (52.7%) as the main issues.