✊ 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
38,705
public reports
🪧 Protest/strike
8,831
acts of resistance
🚔 Repression events
29,843
state response/detentions
📍 Provinces active
21/16
with logged events
🏴 Movements tracked
26
civil-society / opposition
📰 News-sourced
1,404
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 | 11,129 | 8057 | |
| Matanzas | 2,798 | 2414 | |
| Santiago de Cuba | 2,049 | 1625 | |
| Guantánamo | 1,799 | 1613 | |
| Villa Clara | 1,620 | 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 | 582 | 449 | |
| Holguín | 569 | 476 | |
| Mayabeque | 515 | 438 | |
| Cienfuegos | 301 | 239 | |
| Isla de la Juventud | 168 | 155 | |
| La Habana | 83 | 39 | |
| Santiago | 4 | 4 | |
| Camaguey | 1 | ||
| Habana | 1 |
🏴 By claimed group
| UNKNOWN | 36,630 |
| NEWS_REPORTED | 1,764 |
| Cubalex | 130 |
| 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 | 3,259 |
| Date | Type | Province | Group | Summary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-26 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | Cubalex | La situación de Félix Navarro alerta sobre aislamiento prolongado y negligencia médica en las prisiones cubanas | ↗ News |
| 2026-10-23 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Opositor Félix Navarro castigado a 66 días de aislamiento en la cárcel de Matanzas | ↗ News |
| 2026-10-20 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] Fallece un hombre al que le robaron su motocicleta en Matanzas — Héctor Ruiz Rodríguez permaneció en estado crítico desde el pasado martes, cuando lo golpearon en la cabeza | ↗ DISSIDENT_PRESS |
| 2026-10-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | ICE detiene a cubano con condena por homicidio en operativo contra extranjeros con antecedentes graves | ↗ News |
| 2026-10-08 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Gana juicio contra Comercio en Matanzas, pero nadie repara los daños: «Cuando se caiga el techo y lo mate, ya no hay solución» | ↗ News |
| 2026-09-20 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | José Antonio Pompa sigue en “La Polaca”, el área más severa de la prisión de Agüica | ↗ News |
| 2026-09-20 | DETENTION_WAVE | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] "Arroz descompuesto con maíz crudo", la comida de los presos en La Polaca — El preso político José Antonio Pompa permanece encarcelado en "La Polaca", una sección de mayor severidad dentro de la prisión de Agüica, en Matanzas, reservada para reclusos condenados a cadena perpetua, con pésimas condiciones de reclusión, denunció su esposa, Suarmi Hernández. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-09-20 | DETENTION_WAVE | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | [ES original; pending translation] José Antonio Pompa sigue en “La Polaca”, el área más severa de la prisión de Agüica — El preso político José Antonio Pompa continúa recluido en la sección de máxima severidad “La Polaca”, en la prisión de Agüica, Matanzas. Su esposa aseguró que la situación viola sus derechos, limita las visitas y mantiene a su esposo en condiciones deplorables de alimentación y encierro. | ↗ USAGM_PRESS |
| 2026-09-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | De las cárceles del régimen cubano al reconocimiento internacional por defender la libertad | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-09-11 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Félix Navarro Rodríguez: una vida consagrada a la libertad de Cuba | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-09-11 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Asesinan a un hombre para robarle en una finca de Matanzas; hay tres detenidos | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-29 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Detienen a cinco personas por sabotaje a transformadores en finca de Matanzas | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-28 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Inspeccionarán combustible de vehículos en Matanzas para detectar aceite dieléctrico robado | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | El desgarrador testimonio de Sissi Abascal | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-08-02 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Joven fue asesinado tras un “malentendido” en centro recreativo de Matanzas | ↗ News |
| 2026-08-02 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Colapso del SEN en Occidente: UNE actualiza sobre la situación | ↗ News |
| 2026-07-24 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | Cubalex | Adultos mayores presos políticos en Cuba: una población en creciente riesgo por la falta de atención médica | ↗ News |
| 2026-07-22 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | La tragedia oculta del Servicio Militar en Cuba: Los que nunca regresaron | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-06-19 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | La represión no cesa: detienen nuevamente a la intelectual cubana Alina Bárbara López | ↗ YOUTUBE |
| 2026-06-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | Riesgo de epidemia en Cuba: el dengue circula con sus cuatro serotipos | ↗ News |
| 2026-06-01 | PROTEST | Matanzas | MANUAL | Video atribuido a Matanzas (30 mayo 2026): dos personas encapuchadas realizan un acto de sabotaje contra un establecimiento vinculado a un presunto 'chivato' (informante del régimen), en medio del … | |
| 2026-05-21 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | NEWS_REPORTED | En Matanzas, penas de 10 a 15 años de cárcel en uno de los 20 "juicios ejemplarizantes" anunciados | ↗ News |
| 2026-05-18 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba (48 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-18 | PROTEST | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Protest activity reported — Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba (10 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-18 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (4 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-18 | PROTEST | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Protest activity reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (4 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-18 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Bay Of Pigs, Matanzas, Cuba (6 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-17 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba (20 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-17 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Bay Of Pigs, Matanzas, Cuba (5 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-17 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Antonio Guiteras, Matanzas, Cuba (8 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-16 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — El Cangrejo, Matanzas, Cuba (7 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-15 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba (58 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-15 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (8 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-15 | PROTEST | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Protest activity reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (6 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-15 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Bay Of Pigs, Matanzas, Cuba (41 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-15 | PROTEST | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Protest activity reported — Antonio Guiteras, Matanzas, Cuba (10 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Varadero, Matanzas, Cuba (8 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Matanzas, Matanzas, Cuba (22 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-14 | REPRESSION | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Repression / coercion reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (4 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
| 2026-05-14 | PROTEST | Matanzas | UNKNOWN | Protest activity reported — Carlos Rojas, Matanzas, Cuba (4 media mentions) | ↗ Global News |
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