Can one really compare Cuba as one of the safest countries in the world when the Cuban totalitarian government releases only statistics that suits its Revolutionary agenda. So, any statements, statistics, anecdotes released by the Cuban State are to be taken metaphorical with a grain of salt.
Absolutely, Cuba as compared to the USA or even Canada for that matter is much, much safer and does not experience the level of homicidal violence as the two countries mentioned. Cubans do not carry in their possession or have in their homes lethal armaments such as AK automatic rifles. Nor can Cubans walk down to their local armament store – not that any exists – to purchase guns and ammunition. No such amenity exists in Cuba. For Cubans safety that is a good thing.
Schools are safe from extreme violence in Cuba. Not so in the USA nor in Canada, though in Canada to a lesser degree of institutional violence. Another important factor is the homogeneity of the Cuban society. Cuba does not have huge amount of immigrants flocking into the country. In the USA and in Canada immigration is a huge problem and some politicians provoke the problem even more causing unintended violence.
Those outsiders visiting Cuba are tourists who for the most part cocoon themselves in a hotel resort for a week or two never venturing outside the safety of the hotel perimeters. They hardly interact with day to day Cubans. Those tourists who do venture outside are usually accompanied by a Cuban tour guide demonstrating and explaining the sights and sounds the local culture has to offer.
Compare that with all those immigrants entering the USA or Canada. Those individuals certainly do not end up in luxury hotels. Many, if they cannot find suitable living accommodations, must live on the streets where of course violent crime is rampant. Hence, statistically the amount of violence per capita increases significantly. Competition for limited resources, such as housing, makes the newcomers prone to violence.
Another factor that may explain Cuba’s reputation as a “safety paradise” is the harsh Cuban laws regarding any kind of violence perpetrated on Cuban streets. Penalties are excessive when compared to the same “ crime” in Western countries. In Canada, for example, most often than not a criminal who commits a crime will be out on the street the very next day because of the very loose and lax laws. Hence, that same criminal will most often than not continue to commit more violent acts upping the country’s crime statistics.
Not so in Cuba. As witnessed on July 11, 2021 those so called “ criminals “ simply protesting in the streets are serving extensive jail time probably never to reoffend again once released in the very, very distant future. Such excessive incarceration does not exist in most Western countries.
Definitely Cuba is not a “ safety paradise “ as it was once known. Its domestic violence particularly femicide and domestic violence are probably on the same scale as most Western countries if not higher. The stresses and strains of living in a country lacking the most basics of human necessities can only lead to increased violence. No doubt the amount of robberies against personal property must be extremely high if stealing is one of the ways to sustain a family in poverty stricken Cuba.
However, the current totalitarian government will never admit publicly nor release statistics regarding its flagrant failures .
