Politics of Cuba

Cuba has had a socialist political system since 1961 based on the "one state, one party" principle. Cuba is constitutionally defined as a single-party Marxist–Leninist socialist republic with semi-presidential powers.^[1]^[2]^[3] The present Constitution of Cuba, approved in a referendum on 24 February 2019,^[4] also describes the role of the Communist Party of Cuba to be the "leading force of society and of the state"^[5] and as having the capability of setting national policy,^{[citation needed]} and the first secretary of the Communist Party is the most powerful position in Cuba.^[6] The 2019 Constitution of Cuba states it is guided by the examples of Cuban independence hero José Martí and revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and the ideals of Marx, Engels, and Lenin.^[7]

The president of Cuba is Miguel Díaz-Canel, who succeeded Raúl Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party in 2021.^[8] Executive power is exercised by the government, which is represented by the Council of Ministers, headed by the prime minister of Cuba. Legislative power is exercised through the unicameral National Assembly of People's Power, which is constituted as the maximum authority of the state. With effect from 10 October 2019, Miguel Díaz-Canel is the president and Manuel Marrero is the prime minister of Cuba. The previous president of the State Council was Raúl Castro, brother of former leader Fidel Castro; Raúl Castro remained First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, and commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces until 19 April 2021. Fidel Castro ruled from 1959 to 2006, before illness forced him to hand power to his brother. Esteban Lazo Hernández is the president of the National Assembly.

Political scientists characterize the political system of Cuba as a single-party authoritarian regime where political opposition is not permitted.^[9]^[10]^[11] There are elections, but they are not considered democratic.^[12]^[13] According to the V-Dem Democracy Indices, Cuba is the second least democratic country in Latin America.^[14] Censorship of information (including limits to internet access) is extensive,^[15]^[16]^[17] and independent journalism is repressed in Cuba;^[18] Reporters Without Borders has characterized Cuba as one of the worst countries in the world for press freedom.^[19]^[20]

^ "New Cuban leadership reflects a rebranding of Castro dictatorship".
^ "Fidel Castro, Loyal Follower of Jose Marti – Escambray". en.escambray.cu. November 30, 2017.
^ Whitney, W. T. Jr. (January 22, 2018). "José Martí, soul of the Cuban Revolution".
^ Gies, Heather (February 27, 2019). "Cubans approve a new Constitution: What does the vote mean?". Retrieved April 28, 2025.
^ Molina, Julio Martínez (April 8, 2021). "El mejor heredero de la fuerza heroica de la unidad cubana (+Video)" [The Best Heir to the Heroic Force of Cuban Unity (+Video)]. Granma (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
^ Sesin, Carmen; Matos, Orlando (April 16, 2021). "Cuba's Raul Castro confirms he's stepping down, says he's 'fulfilled his mission'". NBC News. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
^ Baer, James A. (April 11, 2019). "Cuban Constitution of 2019". Op-Ed. Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
^ Oppmann, Patrick (April 19, 2021). "Meet the new leader of Cuba's Communist Party". CNN. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
^ Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A. (August 16, 2010). Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge University Press. pp. 361–363. ISBN 978-1-139-49148-8.
^ Lachapelle, Jean; Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A.; Casey, Adam E. (2020). "Social Revolution and Authoritarian Durability". World Politics. 72 (4): 557–600. doi:10.1017/S0043887120000106. ISSN 0043-8871. S2CID 225096277.
^ Hawkins, Darren (2001). "Democratization Theory and Nontransitions: Insights from Cuba". Comparative Politics. 33 (4): 441–461. doi:10.2307/422443. ISSN 0010-4159. JSTOR 422443.
^ Galvis, Ángela Fonseca; Superti, Chiara (October 3, 2019). "Who wins the most when everybody wins? Predicting candidate performance in an authoritarian election". Democratization. 26 (7): 1278–1298. doi:10.1080/13510347.2019.1629420. ISSN 1351-0347. S2CID 197727359.
^ Domínguez, Jorge I.; Galvis, Ángela Fonseca; Superti, Chiara (2017). "Authoritarian Regimes and Their Permitted Oppositions: Election Day Outcomes in Cuba". Latin American Politics and Society. 59 (2): 27–52. doi:10.1111/laps.12017. ISSN 1531-426X. S2CID 157677498.
^ V-Dem Institute (2023). "The V-Dem Dataset". Retrieved October 14, 2023.
^ Stein, Elizabeth Ann (2016). "Information and Civil Unrest in Dictatorships". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.35. ISBN 978-0-19-022863-7.
^ "Impediments to Human Rights in Cuban Law (Part III)". Cuba's Repressive Machinery: Human Rights Forty Years After the Revolution. Human Rights Watch. June 1999. pp. 27–68. ISBN 1-56432-234-3. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
^ Moynihan, Michael C. (February 22, 2008). "Still Stuck on Castro - How the press handled a tyrant's farewell". Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2009.
^ "62nd General Assembly Reports: Cuba". Inter American Press Association. October 3, 2006. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
^ "Press Freedom Index 2015", Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 12 November 2015
^ "Press Freedom Index 2008" (PDF). Reporters Without Borders. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2009.

[1] "New Cuban leadership reflects a rebranding of Castro dictatorship".

[2] "Fidel Castro, Loyal Follower of Jose Marti – Escambray". en.escambray.cu. November 30, 2017.

[3] Whitney, W. T. Jr. (January 22, 2018). "José Martí, soul of the Cuban Revolution".

[4] Gies, Heather (February 27, 2019). "Cubans approve a new Constitution: What does the vote mean?". Retrieved April 28, 2025.

[5] Molina, Julio Martínez (April 8, 2021). "El mejor heredero de la fuerza heroica de la unidad cubana (+Video)" [The Best Heir to the Heroic Force of Cuban Unity (+Video)]. Granma (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.

[6] Sesin, Carmen; Matos, Orlando (April 16, 2021). "Cuba's Raul Castro confirms he's stepping down, says he's 'fulfilled his mission'". NBC News. Retrieved April 28, 2025.

[7] Baer, James A. (April 11, 2019). "Cuban Constitution of 2019". Op-Ed. Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Retrieved January 9, 2020.

[8] Oppmann, Patrick (April 19, 2021). "Meet the new leader of Cuba's Communist Party". CNN. Retrieved May 19, 2021.

[9] Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A. (August 16, 2010). Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War. Cambridge University Press. pp. 361–363. ISBN 978-1-139-49148-8.

[10] Lachapelle, Jean; Levitsky, Steven; Way, Lucan A.; Casey, Adam E. (2020). "Social Revolution and Authoritarian Durability". World Politics. 72 (4): 557–600. doi:10.1017/S0043887120000106. ISSN 0043-8871. S2CID 225096277.

[11] Hawkins, Darren (2001). "Democratization Theory and Nontransitions: Insights from Cuba". Comparative Politics. 33 (4): 441–461. doi:10.2307/422443. ISSN 0010-4159. JSTOR 422443.

[12] Galvis, Ángela Fonseca; Superti, Chiara (October 3, 2019). "Who wins the most when everybody wins? Predicting candidate performance in an authoritarian election". Democratization. 26 (7): 1278–1298. doi:10.1080/13510347.2019.1629420. ISSN 1351-0347. S2CID 197727359.

[13] Domínguez, Jorge I.; Galvis, Ángela Fonseca; Superti, Chiara (2017). "Authoritarian Regimes and Their Permitted Oppositions: Election Day Outcomes in Cuba". Latin American Politics and Society. 59 (2): 27–52. doi:10.1111/laps.12017. ISSN 1531-426X. S2CID 157677498.

[vdem_dataset-14] V-Dem Institute (2023). "The V-Dem Dataset". Retrieved October 14, 2023.

[15] Stein, Elizabeth Ann (2016). "Information and Civil Unrest in Dictatorships". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.35. ISBN 978-0-19-022863-7.

[HRW-Cuba-III-19993-16] "Impediments to Human Rights in Cuban Law (Part III)". Cuba's Repressive Machinery: Human Rights Forty Years After the Revolution. Human Rights Watch. June 1999. pp. 27–68. ISBN 1-56432-234-3. Retrieved August 7, 2012.

[Michael_C._Moynihan3-17] Moynihan, Michael C. (February 22, 2008). "Still Stuck on Castro - How the press handled a tyrant's farewell". Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2009.

[18] "62nd General Assembly Reports: Cuba". Inter American Press Association. October 3, 2006. Retrieved August 6, 2012.

[Press_Freedom_Index_20153-19] "Press Freedom Index 2015", Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 12 November 2015

[20] "Press Freedom Index 2008" (PDF). Reporters Without Borders. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2009.

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