Sat Jan 03 08:30:00 UTC 2026: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten version as a news article:

Summary:

Cuba is experiencing a severe demographic crisis driven by a massive exodus of its citizens. Since 2021, over a million Cubans have left the island due to government repression, economic decline, and the collapse of basic services. This outflow has shrunk the population to levels not seen since the mid-1980s. While the U.S. has traditionally been the main destination for Cuban migrants, increasingly stringent immigration policies there have led to a diversification of migration patterns, with Brazil, Spain, and other Latin American nations becoming more popular destinations. The mass emigration, combined with declining birth rates and an aging population, is creating a demographic “perfect storm” for Cuba, threatening its economic and social future. The United States remains a significant symbolic and economic attraction, but more Cubans are now seeking routes to countries like Brazil, Spain, and Mexico.

News Article:

Cuba’s Population Plummets as Mass Exodus Triggers Demographic Crisis

Havana, Cuba – December 30, 2025 – Cuba is facing a deepening demographic crisis as a massive wave of emigration continues to drain the island nation of its population, particularly its young and working-age citizens. Since 2021, over a million Cubans have fled, reducing the population from 11.3 million to an estimated 8.6 to 8.8 million—a level not seen since the mid-1980s. The exodus is being fueled by a combination of factors, including government repression following the 2021 protests, a sharp decline in living standards, the collapse of essential services like healthcare and electricity, and a lack of hope for improvement.

“We are witnessing a population hemorrhage,” said one independent demographic researcher. “The combined effects of out-migration and declining birth rates are creating a demographic perfect storm.”

While the United States has historically been the primary destination for Cuban migrants, stricter immigration policies, particularly those implemented following Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency in early 2025, have shifted migration patterns. Border apprehensions have dropped significantly. Deportation flights have increased from the United States and other regional countries.

Brazil has emerged as a leading destination for Cuban asylum seekers. Applications in Brazil have nearly doubled since 2024. Spain, Mexico, and other Latin American nations are also seeing increased numbers of Cuban migrants.

The Cuban government has yet to release official emigration figures. However, the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) officially acknowledged a 10.1% population drop since December 2020. The agency has reported that the nation has declined with a decrease rate of -30.6 per thousand inhabitants.

The mass emigration is exacerbating Cuba’s existing demographic challenges, including an aging population and declining birth rates. Cuba already has one of the oldest populations in Latin America, with a median age of 42.2 years. The current birth rate is far below replacement level, and deaths are outnumbering births nearly two to one.

Experts warn that this combination of factors threatens Cuba’s long-term economic and social viability. The loss of skilled labor and women of childbearing age is particularly concerning.

“This is not a temporary phenomenon,” said one analyst. “It’s a multidimensional crisis that requires fundamental reforms to address the underlying economic and political problems driving people to leave.”

The challenge for host countries is to manage increasing flows of asylum seekers and irregular migrants in a region already marked by multiple migration crises (Venezuela, Haiti, Central America), with limited resources and institutional frameworks requiring adaptation and strengthening.

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