Cubans have high hopes for warmer relations, survey finds
The vast majority of Cubans welcome warmer relations with the United States, holding high expectations that closer ties pledged by the two countries will shake up the island’s troubled economy, according to a new survey of Cuban citizens. But they are doubtful that the diplomatic detente will bring political reforms to their Communist country.
The poll of residents on the island shows people are unhappy with the political system, eager for the U.S. embargo to end and disenchanted with their staterun economy. More than half of Cubans say they would like to leave the country for good if they had the chance.
The survey, conducted in March through 1,200 inperson interviews by the Miami-based Bendixen & Amandi International research firm on behalf of the networks Univision Noticias and Fusion, is reported in collaboration with The Washington Post.
With its restricted news media and limited Internet and phone access, getting an accurate sense of public opinion in Cuba can be difficult. Public surveys are very rare, as opinion research is strictly controlled by the Cuban government. On the island, Cubans have an aversion to discussing politics: Three-quarters of those surveyed in the Univision poll say they feel they need to be careful about expressing themselves. While some believe the Cuban government privately conducts focus groups and surveys, there are not regular public polls.
So the Univision poll provides a rare glimpse of Cuban opinion as relations change with the United States. The survey was conducted without government authorization by local Cuban residents who were trained in survey interviewing. Thirty-nine percent of households where interviews were attempted completed the survey.
After a half-century of hostilities, the Obama and Castro governments late last year announced their intention to normalize diplomatic relations. The sentiments expressed in the poll show that Cubans want to hasten that new future. Nearly 97 percent say that a better relationship with the United States will benefit Cuba. Nearly the same percentage of Cubans say the economic embargo should end.
The poll showed Cubans are eager for the benefits of foreign tourism and want more access to basic American products. More than 6 in 10 expect Cuba’s new relationship with the United States will change the economic system. If there were going to be more trade with the United States, people would want more supermarkets and pharmacies. When asked what they want to accomplish over the next five years, the most common response is traveling abroad, followed by opening a business.
Nearly 8 in 10 are dissatisfied with the economic system, with one-third receiving money from family or friends abroad. While many expect renewed U.S. relations to change the economic system, more than half expect the political system to remain the same.