Cuban bishops make plea for ‘economic and political changes’

"We cannot continue on this path…we need to do something to save Cuba."

In an unusually direct criticism of the communist government, the Cuban bishops’ conference has released a pastoral letter calling on Cubans “to do something to save Cuba and restore our hope.”

Havana Cathedral (Catedral de San Cristobal) in Cuba. Credit: Wangkun Jia / Alamy.

The letter, released June 15, calls for a structural transformation of the island’s political and economic system through a genuine dialogue with all political actors in the country.

“When daily life forces people to search tirelessly for basic goods, prolonged power outages affect rest and paralyze study and work; families are increasingly fragmented by growing emigration, and disillusionment and apathy take hold of so many, overwhelmed by the repetition of promises that never materialize… sadness takes hold of our hearts,” it says.

The letter, entitled “Pilgrims of Hope,” makes a direct plea for the “structural social, economic, and political changes that Cuba needs.”

It was released amid a severe economic crisis, which has led about 5% of the Cuban population to flee the country in the last three years, mostly to the United States and Spain.

“With hopelessness and without joy, there’s no future for any people,” it says.

“The Church knows and proclaims that the Resurrected Christ is the source and summit of the true hope, but it is also desirable, legitimate, and worthy of man, that every human being can live and work in peace, realize their personal and family dreams, and grow more and more.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba has been facing a deep economic crisis, which economists and observers consider to be the worst economic crisis in Cuba since the “special period” in the 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union.

The economic problems have triggered a series of massive protests in the country, beginning in July 2021.

In March 2024, crowds again took to the streets to protest the economic conditions and the state of public services, with thousands ending up in the regime’s prisons.

The bishops’ letter laments that “The common good seems further and further away from so many of our brothers, especially the poor, the lonely and abandoned elderly, those sleeping or wandering in the streets, seeking food daily in the trash cans, those who can’t sleep in the endless power outage nights… those who don’t feel like they can freely express their convictions.”

“How to revitalize the hope of so many Cubans? It’s a serious and urgent question that demands the responsibility of all the children of this land, without exclusion or pre-conceived, ideological answers,” it continues.

The Cuban Church faced near-extinction in the 1960s, after the Cuban Revolution, which imposed a constitutionally communist and atheist regime.

However, the Cuban government has slowly relaxed its restrictions on the Church since the 1990s.

In 1992, Cuba became officially secular but was no longer a confessionally atheist state. That same year, Havana saw quadruple its typical number of baptisms, and the number of priests, nuns, and parishes all increased slightly.

In 1998, Pope John Paul II visited the country, asking for “Cuba to open to the world so that the world opens to Cuba” and calling for the end of the decades-long trade embargo imposed by the United States.

The papal visit marked a turning point in the country, leading to the reinstatement of Christmas as a national holiday and a reduction in restrictions on the Church. Cuban President Fidel Castro attended almost all of the visiting pope's Masses and speeches, sitting in the front row.

Relations remained cordial after John Paul II's visit to the island. In Francis' papacy, they improved further, with the Vatican playing an essential role in the restoration of diplomatic relations between the island and the United States in 2014.

Pope Francis said he had a “human relationship” with Raúl Castro, the brother and political heir of Fidel, and he received visits from the current Cuban head of state, Miguel Díaz Canel.

The situation for the Church has worsened in the past few years, but it’s still a far cry from the persecution at the onset of the Cuban Revolution. This might have emboldened the country’s bishops to publish their most direct criticism of the country’s communist regime in decades.

The bishops’ letter says that the “painful and urgent reality we’re experiencing” demands not only analysis, but action “to change the course of this situation.”

“We cannot continue on this path…we need to do something to save Cuba and give us hope,” it stresses.

“This appeal is an invitation to us all, but fundamentally, to those with the highest responsibilities in making decisions for the good of the nation. It’s the moment for creating a climate, without internal or external conditionings and pressure, where we can carry forward the structural social, economic, and political changes that Cuba needs.”

The letter encourages dialogue and respect for human dignity.

“With the strength and love we profess for God and for Cuba, we want to give a word of encouragement: Let us not be afraid of walking new paths!” it concludes.