This past Friday, AFP released a powerful report shedding light on the challenges faced by young people in Havana amidst Cuba's ongoing crisis. The piece, based on interviews conducted in late September, paints a grim generational portrait marked by emptiness and resignation.
One of the individuals featured is Melanie Tejeda, a 24-year-old. She shared that out of her 43 classmates from her drama studies, only five remain on the island; the rest have moved to Miami, Madrid, or other locations. Her communication with them is limited to WhatsApp or Instagram messages, depending on the reliability of the Internet connection.
Tejeda often visits El Bejuco bar in El Vedado, where she joins strangers for games of dominoes. She describes the game as "a cultural element of Cuba that endures and keeps us connected."
The bar is one of the few places that stay lit at night, thanks to a generator powered by city gas and offering wifi. Its manager, Yadier Delgado, also 24, describes it as "a haven" for young people unsure of their next steps. "Almost all entertainment venues haven't found a way to stay open," he notes.
The Darkened Cityscape
AFP illustrates how power outages have transformed Havana into a ghost city: theaters, cinemas, and concert halls are virtually all shut down. The collapse of the electrical system—resulting from decades of neglect and lack of investment in the regime's thermoelectric plants—has decimated the once-vibrant cultural life of the capital.
Upstairs in the same bar, 22-year-old Sian Dimitri Felipe works as a self-taught programmer for Miami employers and is developing his own video game, despite power and Internet cuts. At El Bejuco, he escapes the blackouts, mosquitoes, and the risk of dengue fever.
Sian longs for the "sense of community among young people, the urban tribe gatherings," and misses sitting on the street at night talking with friends, now a dangerous endeavor. His future plans are clear: "I’m leaving. All the young people here are planning to leave."
Weekend Escapes and a Bleak Future
On weekends, many head to the Paseo del Prado to dance or skate late into the night. Israel Quiala, 17, travels from San Miguel del Padrón and spends hours practicing choreography. He acknowledges that the crisis affects everyone, but points out that adults at least had a good youth. "Being young today is harder," he emphasizes.
Cuba is facing an unprecedented demographic crisis in its modern history: according to the Center for Demographic Studies (CEDEM), 50% of those who left the country by the end of 2024 were young people under 35, highlighting a disproportionate exodus of the nation’s most productive and reproductive group.
Last July, Cuban content creator Robert Evangelista released a video harshly criticizing the lack of opportunities for young people in Cuba. The influencer described the bleak prospects awaiting those who stay. "How many young Cubans are not studying right now and end up on the street? Or end up in drugs, or selling sodas in a café. There's no opportunity here."
AFP's report comes just days after the same agency documented the decline of the ration book system, with stores either closed or turned into neighborhood markets.
The Reality of Cuban Youth Amidst the Crisis
Why are young people leaving Cuba?
Young people are leaving Cuba due to a lack of opportunities, economic hardships, and a desire for a better future, as described by the individuals featured in the AFP report.
How has the electrical system collapse affected Havana?
The collapse of the electrical system has turned Havana into a ghost town, with theaters, cinemas, and concert venues largely closed, severely impacting the city's cultural life.
What alternatives do young Cubans have for entertainment?
Many young Cubans gather at venues like El Bejuco bar, which offer a refuge from blackouts, or engage in activities like dancing and skating at places such as the Paseo del Prado.