Cuba experiences record surge in protests during first half of 2026

The NGO Cubalex reported an unprecedented surge in social conflict in Cuba during the first half of 2026. According to the organization, 766 demonstrations occurred across 141 municipalities, marking the highest levels of unrest since Cubalex began monitoring such incidents in 2022.

Researcher Salomé García attributed the rising discontent to a structural crisis involving the deterioration of basic services, specifically energy, water, and healthcare. The report noted that February and June were periods of peak tension, with June recording 253 protests, including days with up to 31 simultaneous manifestations.

Protest methods included pot-banging, street closures, and the burning of refuse. The report highlighted instances of radicalization, such as the burning of the municipal headquarters of the Communist Party of Cuba in Morón, Ciego de Ávila, and an attack on a museum in Contramaestre, Santiago de Cuba. Havana remained the primary focal point, accounting for 495 of the recorded events.