An independent digital survey, conducted by over 20 Cuban media outlets, has disclosed that a staggering 82.2% of participants pinpoint the absence of civil and political freedoms as one of Cuba's most pressing issues. These findings were released on encuesta-cuba.netlify.app following the conclusion of the survey on May 1, 2026.
Launched on April 27 by independent outlets such as elToque, CiberCuba, and El Estornudo, the initiative engaged 42,263 respondents. Of these, 58% voiced their opinions from within the island, 42% from the diaspora, and a small fraction of 94 responses (0.22%) were excluded.
The survey's Question 8 asked participants to identify up to three primary issues facing the nation. Besides the leading concern of civil and political freedoms at 82.2%, 74.8% of respondents cited government inefficiency and stagnation, while 52.6% pointed to the economic crisis and basic goods shortages.
Institutional corruption was highlighted by 47.8% as a significant problem, whereas only 7.3% mentioned mass emigration and the loss of human capital.
This data starkly contrasts with the regime's narrative, as a mere 4.7% of participants blamed the U.S. embargo and external pressures as principal problems. This statistic challenges the longstanding justification used by the dictatorship for its model's failure.
The survey further depicts widespread dissatisfaction with the system: a resounding 94% expressed profound dissatisfaction with the current political framework, 95% deemed political change as extremely urgent, and 99% supported abolishing the Communist Party's monopoly.
The performance of Miguel Díaz-Canel was rated an average of 1.11 out of five, with 93.7% awarding him the lowest possible score.
"Participants overwhelmingly call for systemic change in Cuba," stated José Jasán Nieves, director of elToque, during an interview with El Estornudo.
The regime preemptively criticized the survey before results were even revealed. Official channels like Razones de Cuba questioned its representativeness, a move seen by independent analysts and journalists as a sign of fear in response to significant public engagement.
Authorities blocked the survey's URL on its launch day, forcing many within the island to use VPNs to participate. Independent journalist Mónica Baró defended the significance of the findings, despite the methodological constraints typical of a self-selection survey in a country lacking free internet access.
This effort comes amid ongoing repression: following the July 11, 2021 protests, political prisoners in Cuba numbered over 800, with sentences extending up to 30 years. An international study ranked Cuba as Latin America's second-worst democracy in 2022, scoring just 2.59 out of 10, with zero points for electoral processes and pluralism.
The platform encuesta-cuba.netlify.app has announced the forthcoming release of a comprehensive report with the final, detailed results.
Key Insights from the Cuban Survey
What percentage of survey participants identified the lack of civil and political freedoms as a major issue?
82.2% of participants identified the lack of civil and political freedoms as a major issue in Cuba.
How did the Cuban regime react to the survey?
The regime criticized the survey's representativeness and blocked its URL, forcing many participants to use VPNs to access it.
What were the other major issues identified by the survey respondents?
Besides the lack of freedoms, government inefficiency, economic crisis, and institutional corruption were major issues identified.