Cuba is in deep crisis. Food is scarce. Electricity fails. Medicine is limited. Water is unreliable. Pressure on religious communities is rising. These life-threatening factors have pushed the country into the worst humanitarian crisis it has ever faced.
“We plead with God to have mercy on our nation. We ask for strength to endure,” says Edgar, a pastor in Cuba.
His prayer reflects a growing reality across the island. As the crisis deepens, thousands of believers now cry out for support.
Food Crisis
“If you have a cow in Cuba, you can’t eat it. It belongs to the State. If you do, you go to jail,” a young woman says in a video that has now gone viral.
For many outside Cuba, this sounds shocking. For millions on the island, it’s just reality. Economic restrictions, inflation, and energy shortages have crippled food access. The crisis is now more severe than the “Special Period” of the 1990s.
“We have nothing to eat. Everything is extremely expensive. It now costs twice as much,” Edgar shares.
Basic items are limited. In some regions, bread is only available for children. The ration system is failing and supplies often arrive incomplete.
For many families, three meals a day is no longer possible. According to the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), 7 in 10 Cubans cannot afford to eat that often.
Churches are among the few places offering help. Despite limited resources, they share what they have. “Before the pandemic, some refused the food. Now, everyone accepts it, because they have no other choice,” Edgar explains.
Medicines and basic goods are also scarce and very expensive. Many depend on money from relatives abroad, yet nearly 90% of households live in poverty or extreme poverty.
Collapsed Power System and Rural Hardship
Cuba’s energy crisis affects every part of life. Since 2025, daily blackouts have lasted between 12 and 20 hours.
“Electricity is out almost all day here. They turn it on for a few hours, but it’s not enough” says Ferney*, a pastor. “We cook with firewood. It feels like we’ve gone back in time.”
Power outages also affect access to water and basic services, especially in rural areas. “Water comes only once every 15 days,” Ferney adds.
Aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and lack of investment drive the crisis. Recovery remains slow.
Institutional Decline and Constant Surveillance
Authorities continue to monitor and punish those who speak out. In recent months, repression has increased, including against Christian leaders and their families.
The OCDH recorded over 200 repressive acts in March alone. Reports include threats, harassment, arbitrary arrests, and surveillance. For pastors like Luis, this is daily life. Strangers watch his movements and track his messages.
“They come to monitor what I say. I feel watched all the time, even when I only speak about God.”
Unreasonable Detentions of Young Christians
After the massive protests against the regime in February and March of this year, the government responded by persecuting its opponents, including minors. Sixteen-year-old Jonathan Muir and his father were detained on 16 March after responding to a government summons. His father, Pastor Elier Muir Ávila, was released, but Jonathan remains in prison accused of “sabotage”.
Anna Sofía Benítez, a 20-year-old content creator, was placed under house arrest after exposing threats against her mother. Weeks later, both reported hacked phones and disconnected telephone lines.
“I ask everyone to pray for my mother and me because repression is constant. With our lines deactivated, we can’t communicate,” she says.
Urgent Prayer
Cuban churches are crying out for help.
“Cuba needs change, but we do not expect it from the government; only God can do it,” says Ferney. “Despite lacking everything, we keep trusting in God.”
Pastors urge prayer for the nation, for strength to endure and for the situation to change soon for the better.
Pray for Cuba
- For God’s provision of food and resources for Cuban families.
- That those facing physical and emotional exhaustion, especially pastors and Christian leaders, will be strengthened.
- For those detained, including minors, that they receive justice, care, and support.
Stay updated with the latest prayer requests from the persecuted church.
