✊ Civil Resistance — Protest & Repression Map 1959–2026 · where resistance & repression are happening
⚠ Why this section is deliberately coarse
This is a human-rights record of publicly-reported events — it tracks where protest and state repression occur (province / town level), so we can see where resistance to the regime is strongest. It is intentionally not precise: no individual activists are located or named, no real-time positions, no planned actions. A precise, named map of dissident activity would be a gift to the regime's security services — so we document repression and resistance without creating a targeting list. Group attribution reflects public claims (UNPACU, Clandestinos, Autodefensas de Cuba, independents) only.✊ Logged events
38,765
public reports
🪧 Protest/strike
8,842
acts of resistance
🚔 Repression events
29,891
state response/detentions
📍 Provinces active
21/16
with logged events
🏴 Movements tracked
26
civil-society / opposition
📰 News-sourced
1,447
independent-press reports
🏴 Resistance Movements & Civil Society 26
recognized movements — listing documents & validates them as part of the human-rights record
Damas de Blanco
SUPPRESSED
▸ Human rights · 2003 · Havana
Women relatives of political prisoners; weekly silent marches.
👤 Berta Soler
detail
Formed in 2003 after the Black Spring crackdown, the Ladies in White march after Mass demanding the release of political prisoners; awarded the EU Sakharov Prize in 2005.
⚠ Members face routine 'acts of repudiation' and mass Sunday detentions.
Estado de SATS
SUPPRESSED
▸ Artists · 2010 · Havana
Cultural-political project for open debate.
👤 Antonio Rodiles
detail
A Havana project hosting debates, art and the #TodosMarchamos campaign for political-prisoner release.
⚠ Founder Antonio Rodiles beaten and detained; the project pushed underground.
UNPACU
SUPPRESSED
Unión Patriótica de Cuba
▸ Civil resistance · 2011 · Santiago de Cuba
Largest grassroots civil-resistance movement; nonviolent protest and mutual aid.
👤 José Daniel Ferrer
detail
Founded 2011 in Santiago de Cuba, UNPACU is the country's largest opposition movement, organizing nonviolent protest, food aid and documentation of repression.
⚠ Leaders repeatedly detained; José Daniel Ferrer imprisoned multiple times, including after 11J 2021.
Somos+
SUPPRESSED
▸ Political · 2013 · Havana
Youth-oriented pro-democracy movement.
👤 Eliécer Ávila
detail
Founded by Eliécer Ávila, Somos+ promotes a generational, technology-savvy push for democratic reform.
⚠ Members detained; Ávila harassed and his equipment seized.
MSI
SUPPRESSED
Movimiento San Isidro
▸ Artists · 2018 · Havana
Artists and intellectuals against Decree 349 censorship.
👤 Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara
detail
Formed in 2018 in Old Havana's San Isidro district to oppose Decree 349's censorship of independent art; its 2020 hunger strike sparked the 27N movement.
⚠ Otero Alcántara and rapper Maykel Osorbo were jailed with multi-year sentences after 11J.
27N
SUPPRESSED
Movimiento 27N
▸ Artists · 2020 · Havana
Artist collective for freedom of expression.
detail
Born from the 27 November 2020 sit-in by ~300 artists outside the Culture Ministry demanding dialogue and an end to censorship.
⚠ Participants surveilled, detained and barred from travel.
Archipiélago
SUPPRESSED
▸ Civil resistance · 2021 · Havana
Citizen platform that organized the 15N civic march.
👤 Yunior García Aguilera
detail
A Facebook-organized platform that called the 15 November 2021 Civic March for Change; authorities blocked the march and besieged organizers' homes.
⚠ Founder Yunior García was besieged then forced into exile in Spain.
M-30-11
ACTIVE
Movimiento 30 de Noviembre Frank País
▸ Political · 1979 · Santiago de Cuba
Veteran opposition movement honoring Frank País.
detail
One of the older internal opposition movements, advocating peaceful democratic change since the late 1970s.
⚠ Members repeatedly imprisoned across decades.
CCDHRN
ACTIVE
Comisión Cubana de Derechos Humanos y Reconciliación Nacional
▸ Human rights · 1987 · Havana
Independent human-rights monitor; political-prisoner counts.
👤 Elizardo Sánchez
detail
The CCDHRN has documented political detentions and prisoner counts since 1987, providing one of the longest-running independent human-rights records on the island.
⚠ Members harassed and detained; reporting routinely censored.
MCL
ACTIVE
Movimiento Cristiano Liberación
▸ Political · 1988 · Havana
Christian-democratic movement; the Varela Project petition.
👤 Oswaldo Payá (founder, d. 2012)
detail
Founded by Oswaldo Payá in 1988, the MCL launched the Varela Project, a petition for a referendum on civil liberties that gathered tens of thousands of signatures.
⚠ Payá died in a 2012 car crash widely believed to be a state-engineered killing.
Directorio
ACTIVE
Directorio Democrático Cubano
▸ Exile support · 1990 · Exile
Exile group supporting internal nonviolent resistance.
detail
A Miami-based organization channeling support and visibility to nonviolent activists on the island.
Convivencia
ACTIVE
Centro de Estudios Convivencia
▸ Civil resistance · 2007 · Pinar del Río
Lay Catholic civil-society think tank in Pinar del Río.
👤 Dagoberto Valdés
detail
Founded by Dagoberto Valdés, Convivencia publishes proposals for a democratic transition and trains civil-society leaders.
⚠ Members face travel bans and surveillance; events disrupted.
FANTU
ACTIVE
Foro Antitotalitario Unido
▸ Civil resistance · 2010 · Villa Clara
Central-Cuba opposition coalition; hunger-strike activism.
👤 Guillermo Fariñas
detail
FANTU, led by Sakharov laureate Guillermo Fariñas in Santa Clara, coordinates opposition activity across Villa Clara.
⚠ Fariñas has endured dozens of hunger strikes and repeated detentions and beatings.
Damas de Apoyo / Ladies in Support
ACTIVE
▸ Human rights · 2010 · Havana
Women supporters marching alongside the Ladies in White.
detail
An auxiliary network of women who accompany the Ladies in White, expanding their weekly nonviolent witness.
⚠ Subject to the same Sunday detentions and acts of repudiation.
⚠ low-confidence — monitoring
Instituto Patmos
ACTIVE
▸ Religious freedom · 2013 · Villa Clara
Defends religious freedom and conscience.
👤 Mario Félix Lleonart
detail
An ecumenical initiative documenting violations of religious freedom and supporting persecuted pastors.
⚠ Affiliated pastors detained; founder forced into exile.
Cuba Decide
ACTIVE
▸ Political · 2015 · Exile
Initiative for a binding plebiscite on free elections.
👤 Rosa María Payá
detail
Led by Rosa María Payá, Cuba Decide campaigns internationally for a plebiscite to let Cubans decide on a transition to democracy.
⚠ Organizers on the island detained; campaign branded subversive by the state.
ASIC
ACTIVE
Asociación Sindical Independiente de Cuba
▸ Labor · 2016 · Havana
Independent labor union confederation.
detail
ASIC organizes workers outside the state-run CTC, documenting labor-rights abuses.
⚠ Organizers fired, detained and blacklisted.
MUAD
ACTIVE
Mesa de Unidad de Acción Democrática
▸ Political · 2016 · Havana
Coalition of opposition groups seeking a unified platform.
detail
MUAD unites multiple internal opposition organizations behind a common democratic-transition agenda.
⚠ Coordinators detained ahead of planned activities.
Prisoners Defenders
ACTIVE
▸ Prisoner advocacy · 2018 · Exile
Tracks Cuba's political-prisoner population.
👤 Javier Larrondo
detail
Madrid-based NGO publishing the most-cited monthly list of Cuban political prisoners, used by international bodies.
⚠ Its prisoner lists are used to document state repression at the UN and EU.
Clandestinos
ACTIVE
▸ Clandestine · 2020 · Havana
Anonymous direct-action collective; symbolic anti-regime acts.
detail
An anonymous network known for nighttime symbolic actions — painting slogans and defacing pro-government imagery — to puncture the climate of fear.
⚠ The state treats identified participants as serious criminal cases.
⚠ low-confidence — monitoring
Justicia 11J
ACTIVE
▸ Prisoner advocacy · 2021 · Exile
Documents and defends those detained in the 11 July 2021 protests.
detail
Justicia 11J maintains a public database of those arrested during and after the July 2021 protests, tracking sentences and prison conditions.
⚠ Volunteers face surveillance and threats; its data is suppressed on the island.
Autodefensas de Cuba
ACTIVE
▸ Clandestine · 2023 · Unknown
Emerging clandestine resistance network (low-confidence, monitor).
detail
A recently-claimed clandestine resistance network appearing on social media; details unverified and tracked at low confidence pending corroboration.
⚠ low-confidence — monitoring
Cubalex
IN EXILE
▸ Human rights · 2010 · Exile
Independent legal-aid and human-rights documentation center.
👤 Laritza Diversent
detail
Cubalex provides free legal information and documents rights violations; it relocated abroad after raids but continues casework on detentions.
⚠ Its Havana office was raided in 2016; staff interrogated and forced abroad.
OCDH
IN EXILE
Observatorio Cubano de Derechos Humanos
▸ Human rights · 2016 · Exile
Madrid-based monitor of repression and socioeconomic rights.
detail
The OCDH publishes monthly tallies of arbitrary detentions and annual reports on the human-rights situation in Cuba.
⚠ Its monitors on the island operate under constant risk of detention.
Alzados del Escambray
HISTORICAL
▸ Armed (historical) · 1960 · Villa Clara
Historical anti-Castro peasant insurgency (1960–1965).
detail
The Escambray rebellion saw thousands of peasants take up arms against the new government; it was crushed in the 'Lucha Contra Bandidos' campaign.
⚠ Forced relocations of families to Pinar del Río followed the campaign.
Alpha 66
HISTORICAL
▸ Armed (historical) · 1962 · Exile
Historical Miami-based exile paramilitary organization.
detail
One of the longest-standing exile paramilitary groups, formed in 1962 and conducting raids against Cuba during the Cold War.
🧊 3D Resistance Timeline EXPERIMENTAL
province columns grow with cumulative events — drag to orbit
🗺 Resistance strength by province
| Havana | 11,132 | 8057 | |
| Matanzas | 2,799 | 2415 | |
| Santiago de Cuba | 2,050 | 1626 | |
| Guantánamo | 1,799 | 1613 | |
| Villa Clara | 1,621 | 1301 | |
| Camagüey | 1,068 | 800 | |
| Pinar del Río | 842 | 711 | |
| Artemisa | 823 | 663 | |
| Las Tunas | 812 | 618 | |
| Sancti Spíritus | 774 | 595 | |
| Ciego de Ávila | 744 | 639 | |
| Granma | 583 | 450 | |
| Holguín | 569 | 476 | |
| Mayabeque | 515 | 438 | |
| Cienfuegos | 301 | 239 | |
| Isla de la Juventud | 168 | 155 | |
| La Habana | 85 | 40 | |
| Santiago | 4 | 4 | |
| Camaguey | 1 | ||
| Habana | 1 |
🏴 By claimed group
| UNKNOWN | 36,640 |
| NEWS_REPORTED | 1,812 |
| Cubalex | 132 |
| SPONTANEOUS | 62 |
| INDEPENDENT | 27 |
| UNKNOWN | 21 |
| OCDH | 10 |
| ARMED_RESISTANCE | 10 |
| POLITICAL_PRISONERS | 9 |
| Movimiento San Isidro | 9 |
| UNPACU | 6 |
| Prisoners Defenders | 6 |
| spontaneous | 4 |
| Damas de Blanco | 4 |
| MANUAL | 3 |
| Cuba Decide | 3 |
| Justicia 11J | 2 |
| Convivencia | 2 |
| spontaneous / Patria y Vida | 1 |
| Instituto Patmos | 1 |
| UNKNOWN | 1 |
📈 Events per year
| 1959 | 7 | |
| 1960 | 6 | |
| 1961 | 7 | |
| 1962 | 5 | |
| 1963 | 2 | |
| 1964 | 1 | |
| 1965 | 6 | |
| 1966 | 4 | |
| 1967 | 1 | |
| 1968 | 2 | |
| 1969 | 1 | |
| 1970 | 2 | |
| 1971 | 3 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
| 1973 | 1 | |
| 1974 | 1 | |
| 1975 | 1 | |
| 1976 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 1 | |
| 1980 | 11 | |
| 1981 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 1 | |
| 1985 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 1 | |
| 1987 | 2 | |
| 1988 | 2 | |
| 1989 | 1 | |
| 1990 | 2 | |
| 1991 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 3 | |
| 1994 | 8 | |
| 1995 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 3 | |
| 1997 | 5 | |
| 1998 | 6 | |
| 1999 | 526 | |
| 2000 | 611 | |
| 2001 | 502 | |
| 2002 | 547 | |
| 2003 | 833 | |
| 2004 | 695 | |
| 2005 | 522 | |
| 2006 | 654 | |
| 2007 | 999 | |
| 2008 | 1,204 | |
| 2009 | 1,971 | |
| 2010 | 1,673 | |
| 2011 | 1,775 | |
| 2012 | 1,590 | |
| 2013 | 1,481 | |
| 2014 | 1,482 | |
| 2015 | 2,113 | |
| 2016 | 2,209 | |
| 2017 | 1,716 | |
| 2018 | 1,482 | |
| 2019 | 1,498 | |
| 2020 | 1,140 | |
| 2021 | 1,802 | |
| 2022 | 1,297 | |
| 2023 | 1,317 | |
| 2024 | 1,800 | |
| 2025 | 1,904 | |
| 2026 | 3,319 |
| Date | Type | Province | Group | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | El Estado cubano destruye al padre de familia desde adentro | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Cubano deportado a Esuatini podría no salir nunca de prisión pese a no enfrentar cargos | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Cubano cumple más de un año en una prisión de África sin cargos tras ser deportado desde EEUU | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | Havana | NEWS_REPORTED | Ofensiva contra negocios en Centro Habana deja 15 cierres y más de 360 multas | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Cubana bajo riesgo de deportación tras un incidente laboral en Miami-Dade | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | Cubalex | La represión como respuesta: el régimen aumenta las detenciones a ciudadanos sin vinculo político | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | Holguín | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Noticiero de Martí Noticias — -Preso político cubano José Ramón Solano Randiche pone fin a huelga de hambre tras semanas de protesta en una cárcel de Holguín. -Guillermo del Sol alcanza 61 días en huelga de hambre y crece la preocupación por su estado de salud. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Pese a las peticiones de opositores y religiosos, Guillermo del Sol sigue con su huelga de hambre — El activista ha cumplido 61 días sin comer y "se encuentra muy débil" | ↗ DISSIDENT_PRESS |
| 2026-08-17 | PROTEST | Havana | NEWS_REPORTED | Cuba Habla: " Exigiendo nuestros derechos” | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-17 | STRIKE | Holguín | NEWS_REPORTED | Noticiero Martí Noticias | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | Cubalex | La represión alcanza a ciudadanos sin vínculos con la oposición: 139 eventos registrados en primer semestre de 2026 | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | El alcalde de Hialeah Bryan Calvo irá a juicio tras polémica parada policial en Miami | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Me acusan por “ser vocero del dolor de mi pueblo”: “Spiderman de Cuba” a la Fiscalía | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | PROTEST | Holguín | NEWS_REPORTED | Pintura roja sobre Fidel Castro: nueva acción de protesta contra la propaganda oficial | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | STRIKE | — | NEWS_REPORTED | 'No me van a doblegar': el 'Spiderman' cubano denuncia desde prisión su proceso penal | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-17 | REPRESSION | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] 'No me van a doblegar': el 'Spiderman' cubano denuncia desde prisión su proceso penal — El Spiderman cubano cuestiona desde prisión la acusación por alteración del orden público y un preso del 11J termina una huelga de hambre después de que le redujeran una sanción carcelaria. | ↗ HR_PRESS |
| 2026-08-16 | PROTEST | Havana | NEWS_REPORTED | Cuba Habla: " Exigiendo nuestros derechos” | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | "El 11J no fue protesta, fue demostración de fuerza del pueblo" | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Médicos cubanos de taxistas: la guillotina vocacional del régimen | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Esta es la sanción en Florida por cometer fraude con los permisos de estacionamiento para discapacitados | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Usó una identidad falsa para votar por años en Florida: ahora irá a prisión | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Adrián del Sol: Mi padre está "muy débil" — Guillermo del Sol, quien cumple este domingo 60 días en huelga de hambre, mantenida únicamente con ingesta de agua, continúa la protesta en su vivienda de Santa Clara. Su hijo, Adrián del Sol, dijo que la salud del activista se ha deteriorado y necesitará hospitalización. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Guillermo del Sol cumple 60 días en huelga de hambre en Cuba: está "muy débil" — El activista Guillermo del Sol cumple 60 días en huelga de hambre en Santa Clara, en medio de un grave deterioro de salud agravado por la diabetes que padece, mientras familiares, opositores y religiosos le piden abandonar la protesta iniciada para exigir la liberación de presos políticos en Cuba. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-16 | PROTEST | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] De cacerolazos a la cárcel: el régimen cubano encarcela a manifestantes por exigir electricidad y agua — Aumenta la tensión en Cuba por la crisis energética y la falta de servicios básicos. Mientras la población sale a las calles a exigir respuestas, las autoridades responden con detenciones, incomunicación y traslados a prisión en varias provincias del país. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-16 | REPRESSION | Holguín | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Preso del 11J José Ramón Solano Randiche depone huelga de hambre tras reducirse su castigo — Tras semanas de una desgastante protesta que puso en riesgo su vida, el preso político holguinero José Ramón Solano Randiche depuso la huelga de hambre que sostenía en la Prisión Provincial de Holguín. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-16 | PROTEST | — | NEWS_REPORTED | «¿Qué van a llevar los niños de merienda a la escuela?»: El reclamo de una madre cubana ante el regreso a clases | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-15 | REPRESSION | Sancti Spíritus | NEWS_REPORTED | Patria, revolución y socialismo: la demagógica «santísima trinidad» de Fidel Castro | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-15 | REPRESSION | — | Cubalex | Un preso del 11J sale de prisión: 'La libertad no es completa hasta que el pueblo de Cuba sea libre' | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-15 | REPRESSION | Granma | NEWS_REPORTED | "Seguimos en combate, la libertad de Cuba hay que lograrla", dice un preso del 11J al salir de la cárcel | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-15 | DETENTION_WAVE | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Cuba en la Memoria con el expreso político Eduardo Pérez — Una conversación sobre la realidad cubana. La lucha, el presidio político, la denuncia internacional, el activismo pacífico en las voces de sus protagonistas. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-15 | DETENTION_WAVE | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Machado celebra la liberación de más de 130 presos políticos pero exige "libertad plena" — María Corina Machado celebró la liberación de más de 130 presos políticos. Destacó la alegría y el orgullo de ver a los venezolanos volver con sus familias. Además, enfatizó que este proceso no debe detenerse hasta que todos ellos sean liberados. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-15 | DETENTION_WAVE | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Un preso del 11J sale de prisión: 'La libertad no es completa hasta que el pueblo de Cuba sea libre' — "Seguimos en combate", declara el preso político del #11J Fernando Michael Bárzaga tras salir de prisión. En contraste, #Cubalex denuncia incomunicación, aislamiento, hambre y malas condiciones que persisten en las cárceles cubanas. | ↗ HR_PRESS |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | Pinar del Río | NEWS_REPORTED | VIDEO: Mueren dos jóvenes balseros cubanos en aguas de Pinar del Río: ¿Qué se sabe lo ocurrido? | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | VIDEO: Militar cubano pidió la renuncia de Fidel y Raúl Castro en una reunión y lo condenaron a 20 a | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Llamó al 911 para reportar unos disparos y terminó detenido por ICE en Texas | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-14 | PROTEST | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Alex Otaola convoca a una manifestación en Washington el 1 de octubre | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-14 | DETENTION_WAVE | — | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Venezuela excarcela a 131 presos políticos; Rubio: "Es un paso crucial" — El gobierno de Venezuela anunció este viernes la excarcelación de 131 presos políticos, una medida que se produce en paralelo al proceso de diálogo entre el gobierno interino y la oposición, auspiciado por Estados Unidos. El secretario de Estado estadounidense, Marco Rubio, aseguró que forma parte del proceso de reconciliación del país. “La recient | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | Rubio califica a Fidel Castro de “fracaso absoluto” y advierte sobre los riesgos de seguir su modelo | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | El desgarrador testimonio de Sissi Abascal | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | — | NEWS_REPORTED | "Pedí la renuncia de Fidel y Raúl en plena reunión militar" | ↗ YOUTUBE |