MxM News

Quick Hit:

A new study finds Cuba has lost nearly a quarter of its population since 2020, driven by economic collapse and a mass emigration wave unseen outside of war zones. The country’s population now stands at just over 8 million, down from nearly 10 million.

Key Details:

• Independent study estimates Cuba’s population at 8.02 million—down 24% in four years.
• Over 545,000 Cubans left the island in 2024 alone—double the official government figure.
• Demographer warns the crisis mirrors depopulation seen only in wartime, calling it a “systemic collapse.”

Diving Deeper:

Cuba is undergoing a staggering demographic collapse, losing nearly one in four residents over the past four years, according to a new study by economist and demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos. The report estimates that by the end of 2024, Cuba’s population will stand at just over 8 million people—down from nearly 10 million—a 24% drop that Albizu-Campos says is comparable only to what is seen in war-torn nations.

The study, accessed by the Spanish news agency EFE, points to mass emigration as the primary driver. In 2024 alone, 545,011 Cubans are believed to have left the island. That number is more than double what the regime officially acknowledges, as Cuba’s government only counts those heading to the United States, ignoring large flows to destinations like Mexico, Spain, Serbia, and Uruguay.

Albizu-Campos describes the trend as “demographic emptying,” driven by what he calls a “quasi-permanent polycrisis” in Cuba—an interwoven web of political repression, economic freefall, and social decay. For years, Cubans have faced food and medicine shortages, blackout-plagued days, fuel scarcity, soaring inflation, and a broken currency system. The result has been not just migration, but a desperate stampede for the exits.

Yet, the regime continues to minimize the damage. Official figures from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) put Cuba’s population at just over 10 million in 2023. However, even those numbers acknowledge a shrinking population and the lowest birth rate in decades—confirming the crisis, if not its full scale.

Cuba hasn’t held a census since 2012. The last scheduled one in 2022 has been repeatedly delayed, allegedly due to lack of resources. Experts doubt that any new attempt will be transparent or complete.

Albizu-Campos warns that the government’s refusal to confront the reality of the collapse is obstructing any chance at solutions. More than just a demographic issue, the study describes Cuba’s situation as a “systemic crisis.”

“Havana (Cuba, February 2023)” by Bruno Rijsman licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED.

MxM News

Quick Hit:

President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Thursday night aimed at restoring law and order in Washington, D.C., and elevating the capital’s appearance to reflect the strength of the nation.

Key Details:

• The executive order creates a multi-agency task force focused on reducing crime, deporting illegal immigrants, and restoring cleanliness in the capital.
• The order declares Washington, D.C., belongs to “all Americans” and must reflect national pride and heritage.
• The effort follows a House committee vote to repeal D.C.’s sanctuary city protections.

Diving Deeper:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday evening laying out a bold and long-overdue plan to revitalize Washington, D.C., by making it both “safe and beautiful.” The order comes amid rising concerns over rampant crime, unchecked homelessness, and the capital’s deteriorating image under years of Democrat-aligned city leadership.

“As the Federal capital city, Washington, D.C., is the only city that belongs to all Americans and that all Americans can claim as theirs,” the president wrote in the order. “As the capital city of the greatest Nation in the history of the world, it should showcase beautiful, clean, and safe public spaces.”

To carry out that vision, the executive order establishes a federal task force comprised of agencies including the Departments of the Interior, Transportation, and Homeland Security, as well as the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Their primary mission: reverse the decline of the capital city and restore it to a place worthy of representing the American people.

The task force is charged with several initiatives, including helping law enforcement recruit more police officers, recommending changes to pretrial detention policies for dangerous criminals, and directing federal resources toward identifying and deporting illegal immigrants contributing to the city’s lawlessness.

“America’s capital must be a place in which residents, commuters, and tourists feel safe at all hours, including on public transit,” the president wrote. “Its highways, boulevards, and parks should be clean, well-kept, and pleasant. Its monuments, museums, and buildings should reflect and inspire awe and appreciation for our Nation’s strength, greatness, and heritage. Our citizens deserve nothing less.”

The president’s order follows a vote by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee just a day earlier to repeal Washington, D.C.’s sanctuary city laws—another signal that the Trump administration is serious about confronting the capital’s decline head-on. The move to eliminate sanctuary policies dovetails with the president’s longstanding commitment to restoring law and order nationwide, particularly in urban areas that have been plagued by progressive governance and soft-on-crime policies.