The poll, presented by ‘El Toque’, attempts to capture the diversity of positions inside and outside the island at a key moment
14ymedio, Havana, 25 April 2026 — The independent media outlet El Toque launched a survey this week targeting Cubans inside and outside the island to gauge opinions on the country’s political and social situation, at a time marked by the government’s decline, talks between Havana and Washington, and threats of increased US pressure on the regime.
The initiative, driven by an alliance of more than 20 independent media outlets, content creators, and civil society actors, is coordinated by journalists and social scientists. Its promoters assure that the aggregated data will be published for independent scrutiny.
The survey, with 32 questions, seeks to gather opinions on sensitive issues such as the legitimacy of the political system, the role of key national actors, the US embargo, the private sector, emigration, leadership, and possible solutions to the Cuban crisis. Unlike informal polls circulating on social media, this survey claims to employ mechanisms to prevent duplicate responses, protect anonymity, and organize the data for later analysis.
Miguel Díaz-Canel’s declarations provoked a flood of polls on Facebook, X and other platforms
The consultation comes after Miguel Díaz-Canel’s recent declarations in an interview with NBC News, in which he rejected the possibility of stepping down. “Resigning is not part of our vocabulary,” the president stated. He also maintained: “If the Cuban people believe I am incapable… that I do not represent them, then they are the ones who must decide whether I should continue in this role.”
His words triggered a flood of polls on Facebook, X, and other platforms. Although these polls lack methodological rigor, their results have repeatedly shown a majority rejection of the president’s administration.
The proposal from ‘El Toque’ introduces a tool with greater rigor and ambition
In this context, El Toque attempts to offer a more structured measurement of a discontent that, until now, has been expressed in a scattered manner in the digital sphere. The value of this endeavor lies not only in its future results but also in its attempt to fill a void. In Cuba, measuring political opinion outside of official structures remains a difficult practice, vulnerable to mistrust, fear, and connectivity limitations.
Not all Cubans have equal access to the internet or the same willingness to answer political questions. However, faced with the noise of social media and the lack of reliable public data, El Toque‘s proposal introduces a more rigorous and ambitious tool.
The project aims to gather around 10,000 responses by May 1st. While awaiting the results, the survey is shaping up to be a relevant barometer for gauging the mood in a country where discontent is no longer confined to private conversations.
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