During Friday's broadcast of the Round Table, a participant named Ronquillo openly acknowledged that Cuba is grappling with "areas of significant poverty" and an expanding social divide. This admission came amid discussions on the package of 176 economic measures passed by the National Assembly.
Ronquillo emphasized that inequality is not a new issue nor a result of the regime's recent policies. He stated, "This has been occurring during the latest phase of changes to the economic model, unfortunately." He underscored the point by referencing the Gini coefficient, which, according to academic studies, has increased from 0.25 in 1989 to between 0.4 and 0.5 today, indicating a widening social gap in Cuba.
One of the most poignant moments of the debate was the illustration of the disparity visible on any Cuban street: "While someone is buying the world's most famous brand product, another might be selling the latest item scavenged from a dumpster on a street corner in Cuba."
Ronquillo also warned that this inequality doesn't always stem from honest work, raising another concern: "To what extent do these measures also foster corrupt chains at the national level?"
He acknowledged that the package of measures—structured into 23 axes and over 170 actions—accepts some level of inequality as the cost of growth, but drew a line: "These measures aim to prevent us from leveling Cuban society in poverty; a degree of inequality is accepted, but what we cannot afford is injustice."
The social chapter is described as one of the most comprehensive sections of the package. Proposed solutions include private sector involvement—encouraged through fiscal incentives—in family support, payments to retirees, and other issues that the state bank has failed to address.
Professor Ana Teresa Badía even suggested, as mentioned in the debate, the creation of a corporate social responsibility law for the private sector.
The regime asserted that "the state does not abandon social justice and its preservation," yet it acknowledged that achieving this "requires wealth," an implicit admission of the model's failure thus far.
These admissions contrast with figures recognized by the official system at other times. In February 2024, Labor Minister Marta Elena Feitó admitted to Díaz-Canel the existence of 1,236 communities living in misery in Cuba, while the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights reported that 89% of Cuban families suffer from extreme poverty.
Cuban researcher José Raúl Gallego pointed out that none of the 176 measures address the country's sociopolitical system, which many analysts consider the structural root of the problems.
"The one thing the revolution cannot permit is injustice," was the most forceful statement of the debate, made in a context where the regime itself projects a 6.5% GDP decline by 2026.
Key Issues in Cuba's Economic Reforms
What are the major concerns regarding the new economic measures in Cuba?
The primary concerns include the growing inequality and social injustice, as well as the potential for fostering corruption within the country.
How does the regime plan to address inequality?
The regime plans to involve the private sector in addressing family support and other issues, while accepting a level of inequality as a cost of economic growth, but aims to avoid injustice.
What does the Gini coefficient indicate about Cuba's social gap?
The Gini coefficient has increased from 0.25 in 1989 to between 0.4 and 0.5 today, indicating a widening gap between the wealthy and the poor in Cuba.