Emaciated seniors scavenging the streets for food scraps, retirees collapsing under the scorching sun desperately seeking a sip of water, and elderly individuals dying alone in their homes, only to be found by a neighbor—these are scenes depicted in a recent report highlighting the dire circumstances faced by Cuba's most vulnerable population in 2026.
“People are dying from starvation; they are like walking corpses, zombies,” expressed Irina Hung, a 47-year-old accountant from Miami who originally hails from Santiago de Cuba, after her visit to the island in January.
Hung described Santiago as a city burdened by 20-hour power outages and such rampant insecurity that her 10-year-old nephew warned her against using her phone in public.
Despite a pension increase in September, retirees receive an average of just $9 a month, a meager amount insufficient to cover basic necessities.
The Aging Island and Its Challenges
With 25.7% of its population over the age of 60, Cuba is the oldest country in Latin America. The exodus of nearly two million young people since 2021 has left an entire generation of seniors without familial support.
Elaine Acosta, a sociologist and the director of the Cuido60 project and the Observatory on Aging, Care, and Rights in Cuba, warns of the unprecedented collapse of Cuba's social assistance system: “The 2024 Census data showed that the homeless population had tripled. We know most are elderly. Sometimes they face violence.”
Rising Violence Against the Elderly
Violence against seniors is one of the most distressing issues. Blind retiree Pablo Vega was attacked by robbers on February 20 while returning from collecting his pension, succumbing to his injuries days later.
In Cárdenas, a mentally ill homeless man named Agustín died in the same month from burns inflicted by an 18-year-old.
“What’s happening to the elderly, especially those living alone or on the streets, is a collective punishment,” stated Christian activist Rita María García Morris.
Personal Stories of Struggle
The plight of Isabel Mendoza, a poet and member of the Cuban Writers and Artists Union in Santiago, touched thousands after she was recorded begging to feed her sick husband.
“I dislike doing this because I am a professional, an award-winning poet, a UNEAC member, a declaimer, and look at where I am now,” Mendoza lamented, noting her pension of 3,000 Cuban pesos—about $8—falls short of covering her food expenses.
Odette Toledo, a 47-year-old nursing assistant from Philadelphia who financially supports her parents in Cuba, sums up the harsh reality: “The government holds them hostage; if we don’t send money and food, they will die.”
Government Inaction and Criticism
Her parents, aged 76 and 74, reside in Vedado—one of Havana’s better neighborhoods—yet they remain trapped indoors due to malfunctioning elevators, broken sidewalks, and a wheelchair that’s useless against the crumbling infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the regime is not short on resources: the Revolutionary Armed Forces, through the GAESA conglomerate, hoards $18 billion in liquid assets, surpassing the international reserves of Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Panama.
Human rights activist Janisset Rivero bluntly states, “They steal the nation’s money and fail to invest where it’s needed. It’s all for their personal coffers.”
Starting in April, the regime plans to cut or eliminate the few subsidized food items still distributed via the ration book, exacerbating the already harsh conditions for Cuba’s most vulnerable who can no longer afford or access Family Care System dining facilities due to lack of transport.
In February, the government authorized private senior homes, but activists like García Morris and Acosta argue that this measure is too little, too late, as the situation has reached a critical stage.
“It breaks my heart to see them deteriorate while nobody cares,” Toledo concluded.
Understanding Cuba's Elderly Crisis
Why are Cuban seniors facing such dire conditions?
Cuban seniors are experiencing severe hardship due to inadequate pensions, lack of familial support following a mass exodus of youth, and the collapse of the social assistance system.
What impact has the economic situation had on Cuba's elderly population?
The economic crisis has left many seniors unable to afford basic necessities, with pensions averaging only $9 monthly, and has increased their vulnerability to violence and neglect.
How is the Cuban government responding to the crisis among the elderly?
The government has authorized the opening of private senior homes, but this measure is considered inadequate by many activists, as the situation has already reached a critical state.