The lack of official information once again fueled a chain of rumors that mixed politics, economics, and successions within the Cuban power structure.
14ymedio, Madrid, 11 July 2026 / Every month brings its harvest of rumors to Cuba. Some originate in an anonymous Facebook post, others jump from a Telegram channel to a WhatsApp group, and there are always those that begin with the classic “someone who works at… told me.” The speed with which they circulate speaks volumes about the country’s precarious state of information. Where official data is scarce, speculation abounds. And on an island where for decades important decisions have been announced at the last minute, or simply imposed without warning, these so-called “rumors” end up occupying the space that should belong to public information.
June was no exception. Amid blackouts, economic reforms, official tributes, and constant political uncertainty, social media and street corner conversations once again became the main laboratory for national hypotheses.
One of the most striking rumors claimed that the government was preparing the “mandatory relocation” of more than 45,000 Havana families to provinces in the central and eastern parts of the country to “decongest” the capital. The story included precise figures, references to the Council of Ministers, and even a supposed relocation schedule starting in July. It was enough to recall the immigration restrictions that for decades limited settlement in Havana for many to find the version perfectly credible. The rumor combined a familiar element—the old control over internal movement—with the current deterioration of services in the capital. No evidence of such a plan existed, but for several days some people asked with genuine concern whether they should start packing their bags.
One of the most striking rumors claimed that the Government was preparing the “mandatory relocation” of more than 45,000 Havana families to provinces in the central and eastern parts of the country
US politics also retained its traditional place in Cuban rumor mill. In June, yet another ultimatum attributed to President Donald Trump resurfaced. The message spoke of a mere 96 hours for the Cuban leadership to hand over power to a supposed military force already prepared, and promised multimillion-dollar investments just three days after the political transition. The formula barely differs from other versions circulating for weeks: an imminent deadline, a spectacular outcome, and the promise of an immediate transformation of the national reality. The timeline changes, the protagonists are updated, but the structure remains intact.
Another widely shared story featured Raúl Castro. According to the message, the Communist Party had instructed publishers, media outlets, schools, and cultural institutions to abandon all references to Fidel Castro and concentrate all propaganda on exalting the general. The rumor exaggerated a verifiable reality to the point of absurdity: the growing media presence Raúl Castro has acquired in recent months, especially after being accused in the United States of murder for the downing of the Brothers to the Rescue planes. The former leader also recently turned 95, and his image is at the center of an intense official campaign to rehabilitate his legacy. As is often the case, a true observation ended up being transformed into a disproportionate theory.
Economic tensions also fueled another widely circulated rumor. A supposed presidential decree announced an absolute ban on the use of the US dollar in any transaction within the island, effective July 1st. The text carefully mimicked official language, invoked the defense of monetary sovereignty, and blamed the US currency for distortions in the domestic market. The story found fertile ground because it coincided with the confusion generated by the growing partial dollarization of the Cuban economy.
The figure of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, popularly known as El Cangrejo (The Crab) and grandson of Raúl Castro, also fell prey to the machinery of speculation. A video following the route of a private jet between Cuba, Cozumel, and Cancún fueled all sorts of theories about a supposed hasty exodus of fortunes linked to the ruling elite. The narrative connected flights, companies, front men, and potential asset restrictions in a puzzle where the most important pieces remained mere conjecture. Without sufficient public information about the movements of those within the inner circle of power, any movement ends up becoming fuel for suspicion.
As long as the State continues to consider public data as the exclusive property of those in power, the balls will continue to thrive.
The persistence of these stories reveals much more than the imagination of those who spread them. It speaks of a society accustomed to interpreting silences, reading between the lines, and distrusting official narratives. For decades, numerous momentous decisions, from economic reforms to immigration changes or leadership replacements, were preceded precisely by rumors that the authorities denied or ignored before confirming them with events.
In Cuba, the line between rumor and news has never been entirely clear. Not because speculation is necessarily true, but because official secrecy has ultimately transformed it into a collective tool for trying to anticipate the future. When information is scarce, uncertainty fills the available space. And as long as the State continues to consider public data the exclusive domain of those in power, rumors will continue to thrive.
______________________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.