The news article from The New York Times, “‘Cuba Is Depopulating’: Largest Exodus Yet Threatens Country’s Future“, by Ed Augustin and Frances Robles, goes into detail about the current economic crisis in Cuba, causing mass migration like never before. The article focuses more on the individual people of Cuba and their current situation, while also providing relevant information on the statistics of current and past events.

Facing the challenges of the recent pandemic and sanctions by the U.S., Cuba has had one of the main lifelines for its economy and nation, tourism, decline heavily (Augustin and Robles). Crisis and economic problems in Cuba is not new and has been rampant within the last century. Alexander Dawson states that in the late 50s, “rural workers earned only about $91 annually,…the economic instability of the sugar industry… and foreign domination of the economy” left the country with a Gini coefficient of .57, meaning the economy was highly unequal between classes and many were barely able to get by (Dawson 211). Cuba at the time relied on their sugar industry as the main workforce for the people which was only viable for 8 months out of the year. This led to a revolution led by Castro; Castro’s reign was the cause of many to migrate as “he drove thousands of opponents into exile” (Dawson 209).

In 1965, 3,000 left from the port of Camarioca and in 1980, 125,000 departed from Mariel. The article describes the current migration as “larger than the 1980 Mariel boatlift and the 1994 Cuban rafter crisis combined” and “the biggest migration since Fidel Castro rose to power” (Augustin and Robles). Within the last year alone, 250,000 have migrated to the U.S., this data does not include Cubans who migrated to other countries. The article showcases the many people still in Cuba, to this day, who have failed to flee but won’t stop. Roger García Ordaz has attempted to flee 11 times and plans to try again as he would rather die by the sea than continue to accept his life in Cuba (Augustin and Robles). Currently in Cuba, “food has become even more scarce and more expensive, lines at pharmacies” being before they are even open, as supplies are scarce. Cuba regularly has blackouts for hours; the state tries to fight migration by now accepting flights from the U.S. for deported Cubans. Still, however, Cubans try to escape the troubled economy of a nation whose financial reserves are low and store shelves are inadequately stocked as food and fuel exports have been cut in half within the last 3 years (Augustin and Robles). Many like Yoel Taureaux Duvergel, a Cuban who has attempted multiple escapes, build makeshift boats out of car parts and whatever they can find. Others like Joan Cruz Méndez pay smugglers thousands to sneak them or loved ones into the United States (Augustin and Robles).

The main similarity between all of those who were mentioned in the article is that they will never quit trying for a better life as the state attempts to fight their migration to keep them in a crippling nation. Many Cubans have lost hope, as even though Cuba has faced very similar situations in the past, it only keeps getting worse as time goes on. From the textbook by Dawson to the news article, Cubans have been oppressed for the last century, protestors have been either jailed or exiled and the people go to great lengths to have an opportunity for life, as they view their current situation as not living, but surviving.

Works Cited

Dawson, Alexander S. Latin America since Independence a History with Primary Sources. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2022. 

Augustin, Ed, and Frances Robles. “’Cuba Is Depopulating’: Largest Exodus Yet Threatens Country’s Future.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/10/world/americas/cuba-us-migration.html?searchResultPosition=1.