ResumenLa investigacion se desarrollo en el periodo de noviembre de 2006 a abril de 2007, con un grupo de personas que viven con VIH del municipio de Santa Clara, Cuba. La muestra de 40 personas fue dividida a la mitad, en dos grupos, uno con diagnostico de debut y otro con diagnostico de mas de un ano. Fue pareada siguiendo en la medida posible las variables sociodemograficas: sexo, rango de edad, estado civil, variante sexual y diagnostico. La investigacion intenta caracterizar la Inteligencia Emocional (IE) en personas que viven con VIH. En funcion de los objetivos, se emplearon las tecnicas: Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24, Beck Depresion Inventory, Spielber State Anxiety Questionnaire, Mental Health, Escala de Satisfaccion Vital, White-Bear Supression Inventory. Los resultados se analizaron de forma cualitativa y cuantitativa. La valoracion estadistica se realizo mediante el paquete SPSS, version 13.0, permitiendo indagar si existian diferencias significativas entre los subgrupos muestrales estudiados. Se hallaron diferencias significativas en la expresion de la inteligencia emocional entre ambos grupos, resultando mas afectada en las personas del grupo con diagnostico de debut. Se observo como hallazgo una correlacion positiva y significativa en la puntuacion del CD4 con el constructo que caracteriza la estructura de la IE. (Duazary 2009 I; 10-24)AbstractThis research was developed in the period of November 2006 to April 2007, with a group of persons who are living with HIV in the municipality of Santa Clara in Cuba.The sample of 40 persons was divided into two groups, with a first group including a debut diagnosis and the other including a diagnosis for more than a year. It was realized following when possible the socio demographic characteristics: sex, range of age, marital status, sexual variant and diagnosis.Through this research we pretend to characterize the Emotional Intelligence (EI) of people living with HIV. Taking into account the objectives, some techniques were applied, for example: Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24, Beck Depression Inventory, Spielber State Anxiety Questionnaire, Mental Health, Scale of Satisfaction Vital, White-Bear Suppression Inventory. The results were analyzed from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. The statistic valuation was made by SPSS, version 13.0, to determine any difference both groups. Significant differences were discovered when expressing the EI between both groups, being the debut diagnosis group the most affected. We could determine as something new, a positive and significant co relation in punctuation of CD4 and the characteristics of EI.Key words: Emotional Intelligence; HIV; depression; anxiety; mental health; vital satisfaction; rumiative thinking.