2025 has been an extremely difficult year for Cuba. Even more than the already very difficult 2024, which we say goodbye with the feeling that the next one could not be worse for the island. But it was.
The economic and social crisis that has plagued the country for several years has worsened, without the Government’s plans and measures being able to even alleviate it. Thus, the year that ends will chain another setback for the GDP and, consequently, in the lives of Cubans.
With the old thermoelectric plants at their limit and the fuel deficit through the roof, in 2025 the blackouts continued on the island. National production fell even more, tourism maintained the reverse trend of the previous year and the meager state coffers performed less and less, amid a reinforcement of US sanctions after Trump’s return to the White House.
The past year also marked a consolidation of dollarization on the island, underpinned by a new government package and the establishment of the promised official floating rate. Furthermore, inflation continued to squeeze the Cubans’ pockets as much as possible and Etecsa consummated its unpopular tariff, minimally disguised to appease citizen criticism and protests.
2025 was also the year of the terrible blow of Hurricane Melissa, the year of the conviction of former Minister Alejandro Gil, the resounding fall of the former Minister of Labor after denying the existence of beggars on the island and the year of a dengue and chikungunya epidemic that has cost many lives, sickened thousands and thousands, and put more strain on the depressed Health system.
We have come closer to all this and more in these 12 months in OnCubanot only through notes and articles, but also through photo reports and galleries. As the year is about to close, we then propose a graphic memory of this very difficult 2025 through images by our correspondent Otmaro Rodríguez.
