On Saturday, Cuban-American historian Ada Ferrer delivered a striking historical comparison: the Cuba of 2026 evokes memories of the devastating reconcentration policy enforced by Spanish General Valeriano Weyler in 1896. This was one of the most deadly colonial policies in the island's history. "Three decades of collapse. The nation is in ruins," Ferrer declared in an interview with El País from New York.
Ferrer reflects on the era of Weyler's reconcentration, a time when the Spanish captain general sought to deprive Cuban rebels of rural support during the independence wars. Peasants were uprooted from their lands, forced into towns with inadequate food, shelter, or sanitation, leading to massive death tolls. "I occasionally recall that period, but the current situation is the worst in recent decades, even surpassing the Special Period," she stated. "We've been through 36 years, and this crisis follows over three decades where people know they need foreign currency to survive; it’s a crisis atop a severely eroded system, making it worse. Thirty years of collapse. The country is destroyed," Ferrer elaborated in her interview with Carla Colomé.
Urgency for National Dialogue
Ferrer emphasized the need for a national dialogue in Cuba, something that should have occurred long ago but hasn't. "A conversation that includes individuals from here and there, dissenters, government officials, people from the left and right, to bring a diversity of experiences and viewpoints. That’s what I want, but I don't believe it's feasible. People are so entrenched in their positions that if the government calls for such a dialogue, some will resist participating, and if the opposition calls for dialogue, the government will resist," Ferrer explained.
Historical Context and Modern Crisis
Weyler's reconcentration, decreed on February 16, 1896, during Cuba's War of Independence, forced hundreds of thousands of peasants into Spanish-controlled zones. It resulted in the deaths of between 170,000 and over 300,000 people due to starvation and disease, affecting up to 10% of the island's population. Ferrer, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 2022 for her book Cuba: An American History and a professor at New York University, uses this historical event to underscore the severity of the current crisis.
The backdrop to her remarks is an unprecedented collapse since the Special Period. The fall of Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 cut off the subsidized Venezuelan oil that covered two-thirds of Cuba's energy imports. Then, on March 5, 2026, the Antonio Guiteras power plant collapsed, leaving 68% of the island without electricity. Power outages have stretched from 22 to 30 hours daily.
Calls for Action and Human Connection
In May 2026, Ferrer published an open letter to Miguel Díaz-Canel in the New York Times, demanding a genuine dialogue process. "Sovereignty cannot be eaten," she wrote, criticizing the regime for using this argument while the population lacks basic necessities. She reiterated this demand in her El País interview: "A national dialogue should have happened a long time ago in Cuba."
Ferrer dismisses the notion that Cuba's crisis can be reduced to ideological trenches. "People often speak of Cuba in slogans: whether you're for or against, who left and who stayed. It all boils down to that. But that's not the true story of Cuba," she asserted. For Ferrer, the real narrative lies in separated families and ordinary people struggling to survive: "The main focus isn't ideological; it's familial connection, the human condition."
This perspective is woven into her new book, La guardiana de mi familia: memorias de una hija de inmigrantes (Simon & Schuster, 2026), where she reconstructs her own story: born in Havana in 1962, she emigrated with her mother at just 10 months old, leaving behind a nine-year-old brother because his father did not permit his departure. The letters from her brother, Poly, to their mother continued until 1979.
Immigration Challenges and Warnings
The interview also touches on the end of the so-called Cuban "privilege" in U.S. immigration policy. Ferrer points out that her own nephew was detained in the facility known as "Alligator Alcatraz," a stark contrast to the welcome her family received upon arrival in 1963. The widespread protests in Centro Habana and throughout the island highlight that the patience of the Cuban people has limits, something Ferrer warned in her letter to Díaz-Canel: "If all you offer is a ruinous and futureless continuation, then the time has come. At the very least, the time for a true national dialogue."
Understanding Cuba's Current Crisis
What historical event does Ada Ferrer compare modern Cuba to?
Ada Ferrer compares modern Cuba to the reconcentration policy enforced by Spanish General Valeriano Weyler in 1896, a devastating colonial policy.
Why does Ferrer believe a national dialogue is necessary in Cuba?
Ferrer believes a national dialogue is essential to include diverse experiences and viewpoints, which could address the entrenched positions of both the government and dissenters.
What were the consequences of Weyler's reconcentration policy?
Weyler's reconcentration policy led to the forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of peasants, resulting in the deaths of between 170,000 and over 300,000 due to starvation and disease.
How has the collapse of Venezuela's oil subsidies affected Cuba?
The collapse of Venezuela's oil subsidies has severely impacted Cuba's energy imports, contributing to widespread power outages and exacerbating the current crisis.