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Havana Consulting Group
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Havana Consulting Group

Miami-based Cuban economy research firm; cited on CADECA's 18-day test failure but published no volume data.

The Havana Consulting Group, the Miami-based independent Cuba-economy research firm, had published no formal remittance-volume data by 27 April 2026, three weeks after CADECA opened cash-dollar windows to try to recapture flows.

Last refreshed: 22 September 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics

Key Question

Why has the Havana Consulting Group published no data on the CADECA dollar scheme after 18 days?

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Background

Havana Consulting Group (HCG) is a Miami-based Independent research and advisory firm specialising in the Cuban economy, diaspora remittances and the island's business environment. Founded by Cuban-American economists, it produces some of the most-cited Independent datasets on Cuba, filling a gap left by the limited transparency of the Cuban government's own statistical releases. Its estimates on remittance flows, tourism receipts and foreign direct investment are used by US government agencies, think tanks, international financial institutions and journalists covering the island.

HCG's figures give Washington and the Cuban diaspora an Independent yardstick for assessing the impact of US sanctions policy, including Executive Order 14380, since Havana does not publish comparable data of its own. Cuban authorities do not formally recognise HCG's work but have not mounted a credible methodological challenge to it either. The Firm's remittance estimates are widely treated as the closest available substitute for the official figures the Cuban state does not release.

Key Issues
Cuba remittances

Its own data has gone quiet

Havana Consulting Group's own estimates set the baseline for this story: citing HCG analysis, CiberCuba reported on 7 April 2026 that Cuba's state exchange network, CADECA, would open cash-dollar remittance windows because formal transfers had fallen 70 per cent below the 2019 level of roughly $3.7 billion.

By the 18-day mark, 22 to 24 April, neither HCG nor CADECA had published volume data showing whether the Reform was working. The informal dollar rate moved the wrong way over that window, from 510 to 530 pesos, and Havana Consulting Group, the island's main Independent benchmark, stayed silent on the outcome figures it would normally be first to publish.

Common Questions
What is the Havana Consulting Group?
The Havana Consulting Group is a Miami-based Independent research firm specialising in the Cuban economy, diaspora remittances, and the business environment. Its data on remittance flows and tourism is widely used by US government agencies, think tanks, and journalists.
How much have Cuba remittances dropped since 2019?
Havana Consulting Group analysts estimated in April 2026 that formal remittances were running 70 per cent below the 2019 baseline, with most flows migrating to informal banquero networks.Source: Havana Consulting Group / CiberCuba
How far are formal remittances to Cuba below normal levels?
According to Havana Consulting Group analysts cited in April 2026, formal remittances to Cuba are running approximately 70 per cent below the 2019 baseline, driven by sanctions on Western Union and other formal remittance corridors.Source: Havana Consulting Group
Did the Havana Consulting Group publish results on the CADECA test?
No. Eighteen days into the CADECA cash dollar test (22-24 April 2026), neither the Havana Consulting Group, CADECA, nor Fincimex had published any formal-channel volume data on the scheme's performance.Source: Cuba Dispatch