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Summary in English
March 10, 2025- The Cuban Observatory for Citizen Auditing (OCAC) has published its Public Insecurity Report 2024, which reveals an alarming panorama regarding the increase in crime in Cuba. With a total of 1,317 crimes reported throughout the year, the report highlights a 50.72% increase compared to 2023, when 668 fewer crimes were recorded.
The data provided by the report, which only counts proven crimes reported by the media and social media profiles, is an underreporting of the real figures, given the lack of public information from the official media and the government. However, the intrinsic value that these reports have is the comparative analysis of trends due to the rigorous methodology employed. “The data presented are only the tip of the iceberg of a much larger and disturbing situation,” the report states.
Comparison of figures: Exponential growth in violence
The report indicates that crime has experienced a 232% increase in robberies compared to the previous year; 97.1% in assaults and 273.3% in other crimes. This increase translates into an average of 3.6 crimes per day, which shows an alarming deterioration in citizen public security. Compared to 2023, when almost two crimes per day occurred, the increase is 50.72%.
Crime peaks and geographic distribution
December and November were the months with the highest incidence of crime, with 230 and 214 crimes reported, respectively. The increase in these months resulted in an average of almost 5 crimes per day in the second semester (4.83 exactly). If compared to the second semester of 2023, this means an increase of 146%.
The provinces most affected by crime were:
- Matanzas: Leader in robberies and other crimes.
- Santiago de Cuba: It had the highest number of murders (38).
- Havana: It suffered a considerable increase in assaults and homicides (32 murders reported).
- Holguín: High incidence of robberies and assaults.
Profile of offenders and victims
According to the report, 96% of the perpetrators were male. In addition, 58% of the crimes were committed by lone offenders, while 26% involved multiple offenders.
In terms of victims, 527 people were directly affected, an increase of 84 people compared to 2023. Of these, 253 were men, 191 women, 54 minors and 29 elderly, highlighting the growing vulnerability of unprotected sectors of the population.
Information manipulation and lack of government transparency
The report also denounces the Cuban government’s lack of transparency in the publication of official crime data. Despite the growing perception of insecurity, the regime stubbornly maintains that crime remains high but is on a downward trend. This narrative contrasts with the data collected by OCAC, which shows a steady increase in crime.
The report also exposes the government’s strategy of using social media profiles to highlight police effectiveness without providing complete statistics. This tactic seeks to hide the magnitude of the problem and minimize social discontent.
Conclusions and outlook
The deterioration of public security in Cuba, according to the report, is linked to the country’s systemic and structural crisis, the lack of economic opportunities and institutional weaknesses. Added to this is the absence of effective government strategies to stem the tide of violence, leaving citizens increasingly exposed to criminality.
“The solution to the problem lies in eliminating the root cause of the phenomenon: the structural violence generated by a totalitarian regime,” the report concludes. OCAC emphasizes the urgency of implementing systemic and structural changes and greater transparency in the management of public security, without which crime will continue to rise.
