Editing Economy of Cuba (section)

==Wages, development, and pensions==
Until June 2019, typical wages ranged from 400 non-convertible Cuban pesos a month, for a factory worker, to 700 per month for a doctor, or around 17–30 US dollars per month. However, the [[Human Development Index]] of Cuba still ranks much higher than the vast majority of Latin American nations.<ref name="comandate">{{cite news|date=21 February 2008|newspaper=The Economist|title=Cuba – The comandante's last move|url=http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=10727899}}</ref> After Cuba lost Soviet subsidies in 1991, [[malnutrition]] resulted in an outbreak of diseases.<ref name="cordova">{{cite web|title=The situation of Cuban workers during the 'Special Period in peacetime'|author=Efrén Córdova|url=http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/asce/cuba6/45Cordova.fm.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318041650/http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/asce/cuba6/45Cordova.fm.pdf|archive-date=18 March 2009}}</ref> Despite this, the poverty level reported by the government is one of the lowest in the developing world, ranking 6th out of 108 countries, 4th in Latin America and 48th among all countries.<ref>[[List of countries by Human Development Index#Complete list of countries]]</ref> According to a 2022 report from the [[Cuban Human Rights Observatory]] (OCDH), 72 percent of Cubans live below the poverty line. 21 percent of Cubans who live below the poverty line frequently go without breakfast, lunch or dinner due to a lack of money.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-24 |title=72 Percent of Cubans Are Living below the Poverty Line - Todo lo relacionado con Cuba |url=https://noticiascubanas.com/2022/10/24/72-percent-of-cubans-are-living-below-the-poverty-line/ |access-date=2023-06-28 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Pensions are among the smallest in the Americas at $9.50/month. In 2009, Raúl Castro increased minimum pensions by 2 dollars, which he said was to recompense for those who have "dedicated a great part of their lives to working&nbsp;... and who remain firm in defense of socialism".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7370304.stm|title=Raul Castro raises state pension|publisher=BBC | date=27 April 2008 | access-date=3 January 2010}}</ref> 
Cuba is known for its system of food distribution, the ''[[Rationing in Cuba|Libreta de Abastecimiento]]'' ("Supplies booklet"). The system establishes the rations each person can buy through that system and the frequency of supplies. Despite rumors of ending, the system still exists.

In June 2019, the government announced an increase in public sector wages, especially for teachers and health personnel. The increase was about 300%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cuba announces increase in wages as part of economic reform |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cuba-announces-increase-wages-part-economic-reform-n1024451 |access-date=8 June 2021 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=NBC News}}</ref> In October, the government opened stores where citizens could purchase, via international currencies (USD, euro, etc.) stored on electronic cards, household supplies, and similar goods. These funds are provided by remittances from emigres. The government leaders recognized that the new measure was unpopular but necessary to contain the flight of capital to other countries, such as Panama, where Cuban citizens traveled and imported items to resell on the island.

On 1 January 2021, the government launched the "Tarea Ordenamiento" (Ordering Task), previously announced on national television by President Miguel Díaz Canel and Gen. Raúl Castro, the then-first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party. This is an effort, years in the making, to end the use of the Cuban convertible peso (CUC) and to solely use the Cuban peso (CUP), ostensibly to increase economic efficiency. In February, the government created new restrictions to the private sector, with prohibitions on 124 activities,<ref name=":2">{{cite news |title=Cuba opens up its economy to private businesses |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55967709 |access-date=8 June 2021 |publisher=BBC |date=7 February 2021}}</ref> in areas like national security, health, and educational services.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |title=Cuba to reform the economy, allow more private enterprise |url=https://dailyfriend.co.za/2021/02/08/cuba-to-reform-economy-allow-more-private-enterprise/ |access-date=8 June 2021 |work=Daily Friend |date=8 February 2021}}</ref> Wages and pensions were increased again, between 4 and 9 times, for all the sectors. For example, a university instructor's salary went from 1500 to 5500 CUP. Additionally, the dollar price was maintained by the Cuban central bank at 24 CUP, but was unable to sell dollars to the population due to the drought of foreign currency created by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |title=What will Cuba's new single currency mean for the island? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/1/1/what-will-cubas-new-single-currency-mean-for-the-island |access-date=8 June 2021 |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=1 January 2021}}</ref>