Cuba's crisis is hitting the elderly the hardest
Cuba continues to slide deeper into crisis: A tightened oil embargo and economic weakness are hitting older people the hardest. Despite poverty and isolation, their trust in the government often remains intact.
Cuba's population is aging
A group of seniors waits for a free meal in a church dining hall. Triggered by an oil embargo imposed by US President Donald Trump, Cuba’s economic crisis has worsened significantly since the beginning of the year — and it is hitting the elderly population particularly hard.
Pensions don't cover basic needs
According to the country’s National Statistics Office, nearly 26% of the Cuban population was 60 years of age or older by the end of 2024. Carmen Casado, an 84-year-old retired chemical engineer, lives alone in a room in a dilapidated house. She regularly attends a food distribution organized by the church, as her monthly pension — equivalent to $4 —barely covers her basic needs.
The Church as provider
The meals at Holy Spirit Church are simple: Ground beef, rice, red beans, and crackers with mayonnaise. For many, these meals offer more than just sustenance. They provide a bit of routine, relief and companionship during long days marked by scarcity, hardship and loneliness.
Fidel Castro's generation faces a new period of scarcity
The island’s elders were young when Fidel Castro came to power. Now, in their old age, they are facing a new period of scarcity. It highlights just how limited their pensions, rationed food and their own resilience are. The effects are evident in everyday life: Older people walk the streets alone or stand in long lines for bread and rice.
Reliant on outside help
Julia Barcelo, 83, is sitting in her modest room with a friend who has brought her a meal from the church. She is recovering from breast cancer treatment and cannot leave the house. She is in urgent need of assistance, but there is no government-run home care service in Havana.
A modest life
Carmen Casado rummages through the old dresser in her apartment in Havana. It shows signs of age and neglect. Despite poverty and loneliness, she continues to place her trust in the government and blames the United States for the island’s hardships.