One million 573,320 Cubans will enjoy partial pension increases starting in September, representing 88 percent of the beneficiaries of Cuba’s General Social Security System, it was officially announced today in this capital.
The measure, announced in mid-July before Parliament by Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister of the Republic, will take effect on the first of that month, in accordance with Resolution 14/2025 of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTTS), published this Wednesday in the 71st regular edition of the Official Gazette.
Vladimir Regueiro Ale, Minister of Finance and Prices; Benito Rey González, Director General of Social Security at the Ministry of Social Security (MTSS), and Julio Pérez Álvarez, Director General of Issuance and Securities at the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC), provided further details.
Rey González said that pensioners based on age and disability will benefit, as well as those who receive pensions due to death, that is, widows or widowers, orphans, and parents.
He recalled that a policy of the Revolution has been to always protect the most needy, hence the several increases in pensions. Under the current circumstances, the inflationary process has had a more acute impact on the purchasing power of Social Security beneficiaries.
The director pointed out that this is a partial increase because it does not cover all those covered by the General System and the special systems.
Therefore, not all beneficiaries will receive four thousand pesos, nor will everyone double their pension, as the measure contemplated in the Government Program to correct distortions and revive the economy has been erroneously interpreted, Rey González stated.
The age and disability pension for retirees of the General Social Security System and special regimes will be increased by 1,528 pesos, with amounts of up to 2,472 pesos.
However, people who receive amounts between 2,473 pesos and 3,999 pesos per month will receive an increase, reaching four thousand pesos, the executive specified.
He clarified that the amount of the so-called unified pensions, which are given upon the death of a spouse, depends on the amount the worker or pensioner was receiving and the number of people under their care at the time of their death.
As an example, he explained that from now on, if there is one beneficiary, they will receive 70% of the pension generated by the deceased relative, if there are two, 85%, and if there are three or more, 100%.
In the specific case of widows’ pensions, most of whom receive 1,970 pesos, their pension will be doubled and they will receive 2,140 pesos.
Vladimir Regueiro Ale reported that amid financial difficulties, the State Budget always supports measures like this, which, although it does not cover all Social Security beneficiaries, has been made possible thanks to the reduction in the fiscal deficit this year.
Approximately 25 billion pesos annually, about 2 billion pesos per month, will be allocated to the aforementioned partial pension increase, the Minister of Finance and Prices stated.
The Director General of Issuance and Securities at the Central Bank of Cuba explained to local media that intensive work has been done to ensure that all cash earmarked exclusively for compliance with the measure is available in all provinces and the Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality by August 20.
