Rosa María Payá Acevedo, the visionary behind Cuba Decide and leader of Pasos de Cambio, recently held a conference at Florida International University (FIU) where she unveiled practical strategies to address the humanitarian disaster in Cuba and pave the way for a democratic transition.
"We're not just here to highlight the collapse; we're here to offer tools to confront it," the activist emphasized at the outset.
The event, called "Social Collapse in Cuba," was a collaborative effort between Pasos de Cambio and FIU, drawing in experts in humanitarian crises and members of Cuban civil society. Payá emphasized that this was genuine planning for the "day after" the dictatorship, rather than a mere academic exercise.
"Cuba is facing more than an economic downturn. It's the collapse of a system that's dismantled the nation's productive capabilities, plunged families into extreme poverty, and turned daily life into a desperate struggle for survival," she stated.
Devastating Economic Realities
The initial segment of the gathering presented the Ninth Study on Social Rights in Cuba by the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH), which was based on 1,318 interviews conducted from June 27 to July 29 across 79 municipalities in Cuba's 15 provinces.
The findings are shocking: 94% of Cuban households live in extreme poverty, an increase of five percentage points from the previous year. A family of three needs to earn over 87,000 Cuban pesos monthly to stay above this threshold, a figure unattainable for the vast majority.
Hunger is rampant: eight out of ten Cubans have had to skip meals due to lack of money or food; among the elderly, this increases to nine out of ten. "Last year, it was seven out of ten. This year, conditions have worsened," noted Yaxys Cires, OCDH's Director of Strategies.
Infrastructure Challenges and Humanitarian Logistics
For the first time, power outages have overtaken the food crisis as the top concern among respondents. The regime's disapproval rating is at 95%, and only 6% believe the 176 announced economic measures will bring any improvement.
The second part featured humanitarian logistics experts. Teo Babún, president of Outreach Aid to the Americas, highlighted that the island lacks funding, not capability, and suggested using the more than 4,000 Catholic and Evangelical churches as a decentralized distribution network.
Reverend José Joaquín Espino, rector of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, pointed out a specific hurdle: all aid currently enters through Mariel, and transporting a package from there to Guantánamo is costlier than shipping it from Miami to Mariel, due to scarce independent transport.
Andrés Asión from Global Empowerment Mission shared their response to the Venezuelan earthquakes as an operational model: in 30 days, they served over 228,000 people with food aid, utilizing 24 cargo planes and five military vessels.
Concluding the event, Payá Acevedo was unequivocal: "The regime is the sole barrier between this critical aid and the Cuban people."
The panel is part of the Liberation Agreement, signed in March 2026 by Pasos de Cambio and the Cuban Resistance Assembly, which outlines a four-stage transition—liberation, stabilization, reconstruction, and democratization—and includes a specialized Humanitarian Emergency Commission.
"We're preparing for the day after, to cease being a failed state," Payá shared on her X account the following day. "The only way out of this crisis is to exit the dictatorship."
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuba's Crisis and Transition
What are the main causes of Cuba's current social collapse?
Cuba's social collapse is primarily due to the failure of its political system, which has destroyed the country's productive capacity, impoverished families to extreme levels, and turned daily survival into a desperate struggle.
How is Rosa María Payá contributing to Cuba's transition?
Rosa María Payá is contributing by presenting practical tools and plans for addressing the humanitarian crisis and preparing for a democratic transition in Cuba through initiatives like Cuba Decide and Pasos de Cambio.
What role do humanitarian logistics play in Cuba's current situation?
Humanitarian logistics are crucial for distributing aid effectively across Cuba, especially given the lack of independent transportation and the centralization of aid entry through Mariel.