Cuba marks five years since 11J protests amid deepening crisis and record repression

Five years after the historic 11J protests, Cuba is gripped by its worst socioeconomic crisis in decades, with daily protests, record political imprisonment, and a crumbling infrastructure. The 11 de julio de 2021 uprising—the largest anti-government demonstrations in 67 years—was met with brutal repression, but the underlying grievances have only intensified.

The Crisis

Cuba faces an unprecedented energy collapse: La Habana receives just 1–2 hours of electricity daily, while provinces endure blackouts of up to three consecutive days Source: CNN. The economy is projected to contract by 6.5% in 2026 (CEPAL) Source: Diario Libre, worsened by a US oil embargo imposed in January 2026 following the capture of Nicolás Maduro Source: El Mundo. Food, medicine, and fuel are scarce; garbage piles up, and schools and transport are often paralyzed Source: La Vanguardia. Over 850,000 Cubans have emigrated since 2022—roughly 10% of the population Source: La Vanguardia.

Repression and Protest

Repression has escalated sharply. Prisons now hold 1,306 political prisoners, including 40 minors, a historic high Source: Infobae. The NGO Cubalex recorded 253 protests in June 2026 alone—a new monthly record—with an average of 8 per day Source: Infobae. Protests have become more violent, including attacks on party headquarters and police stations Source: EMOL. Yet no mass mobilization has repeated the scale of July 2021; analysts cite exhaustion and fear of reprisal Source: La Vanguardia.

What's Next

The government, led by the Communist Party, shows no sign of reform. Roberto Morales, a likely successor to Miguel Díaz-Canel, declared: "Cuba está firme" Source: El Mundo. Opposition figures doubt any internal liberalization, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to use "all tools" to push for change Source: El Mundo. The Atlantic Council warns that decades of mismanagement, not just sanctions, underlie the collapse Source: Diario Libre.