Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla announced on Wednesday that only 17% of Americans support military intervention to "seize control of Cuba," citing an Economist/YouGov survey. He used this statistic to argue that Washington's policy lacks popular support.
Rodríguez declared on the social media platform X that this reflects the widespread opposition among U.S. citizens to their government's aggressive stance against the Cuban people. He accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio of selecting a narrative that portrays Cuba as a threat, using it as a "pretext" to justify what he called aggression against the island.
However, Rodríguez conveniently omitted the fact that he picked the lowest figure from the entire YouGov series available in 2026.
Selective Presentation of Data
The Economist/YouGov poll conducted in August, from the 14th to the 17th, with 1,611 American adults, showed that 58% opposed the use of force, while 17% supported it. Among Republicans, opinions were split, with 33% in favor and 30% against. Notably, among those identifying with MAGA, support rose to 44%.
Additional data from the same YouGov series reveal a different trend than the one suggested by the minister: in July, support was at 18%, in September it rose to 20%, and in March it was between 22-23%. Rodríguez highlighted the lowest point of the series to present it as if it were the entire picture.
Silencing Cuban Public Opinion
This selective use of data starkly contrasts with the regime's complete silence regarding the most extensive political opinion survey conducted in Cuba in recent years.
Between April and May 2026, over 20 independent Cuban media outlets—including CiberCuba, elTOQUE, 14ymedio, Rialta, and Alas Tensas—organized a digital survey that gathered 42,263 valid responses, with 58% reportedly from Cuba based on anonymous geolocation.
The findings were striking: 60.9% supported direct U.S. military intervention, while 64.9% endorsed overthrowing the Cuban government "by any means necessary, including armed force." The average confidence in the government was a mere 1.09 out of five, with 94% choosing the lowest confidence level.
The regime's response was not to engage with these figures, but to block the link within Cuba and attack the organizers through state-controlled media.
Regime's Dismissal of Independent Survey
Granma called it "lies," the official site Razones de Cuba labeled it a "statistical fraud" and a "propaganda setup," and Juventud Rebelde accused the organizers of using U.S.-funded artificial intelligence manipulation—a typical accusation the regime levels at any source contradicting its narrative.
During the same period, a survey conducted for the Miami Herald by Bendixen & Amandi International and The Tarrance Group found that 79% of Cubans and Cuban Americans in South Florida supported U.S. military intervention in Cuba.
The discrepancy is hard to ignore: while the Cuban foreign minister magnifies U.S. polls that suit his agenda, the regime actively blocked and discredited the only massive survey that captured the opinions of tens of thousands of Cubans about their own future.
The unanswered question remains: if American public opinion deserves to be cited and amplified, why must the voices of Cubans themselves be blocked, dismissed, and silenced?
Understanding Cuban and U.S. Public Opinion on Cuba
What did Bruno Rodríguez highlight from the Economist/YouGov survey?
Bruno Rodríguez highlighted that only 17% of Americans support military intervention to control Cuba, using this to argue against U.S. policies towards the island.
How did the Cuban regime respond to independent surveys conducted by Cuban media?
The Cuban regime blocked access to the survey link within Cuba and attacked its organizers through state-controlled media, dismissing the results as lies and propaganda.
What were the results of the independent survey conducted in Cuba?
The survey revealed that 60.9% of respondents supported U.S. military intervention and 64.9% favored overthrowing the Cuban government by any means necessary.