Cuba is facing a severe demographic crisis with over 10% of its population, more than a million people, leaving the island between 2022 and 2023. This unprecedented exodus, fueled by a crippling economic downturn and a government crackdown on dissent, marks the largest migration wave in the country’s history. Reports indicate that Cuba’s population decreased from 11,181,595 on December 31, 2021, to 10,055,968 by December 2023.
The surge in emigration is evident in the record number of Cuban migrants encountered at the US border. The 2021-2022 fiscal year saw a staggering 224,000 encounters, with October 2022 seeing 29,878 Cuban migrants stopped, followed by 35,881 in November and 44,064 in December. The US Coast Guard also intercepted 6,182 Cubans attempting to reach the US by sea during the same fiscal year, with an additional 4,795 interceptions in the subsequent three months.
This mass exodus is directly linked to the severe economic crisis gripping Cuba. The coronavirus pandemic, inefficient economic reforms, and intensified US sanctions have crippled the island’s economy, leading to widespread blackouts, shortages, inflation, long fuel lines, and increased dollarization. These dire conditions culminated in the first major street demonstrations in decades in 2021 and 2022, with thousands demanding an end to power outages.
The ongoing exodus is transforming Cuba’s demographic landscape, posing a significant threat to its future. As a substantial number of citizens depart, the country is likely to be left with a rapidly aging population and severe workforce shortages. The prevailing disillusionment among young people, who have lost confidence in Cuba’s future, underscores the critical need for substantial political and economic reforms to halt the exodus and restore stability to the nation.
