They are no longer just manifestations of political dissent. No. The tensions that have been invading Cuba for months arise from everyday problems: the absence of electricity, the shortage of water, the difficulty of accessing essential services. A nightmare.
According to the report published by Prisoners Defendersat the end of August 2026 the Prisoners Defenders list included 1,339 political prisoners, after 19 new entries and 7 exits during the month. Among them are 155 women and 38 people arrested when they were minors.
Behind the new record of political prisoners denounced by the organization there is a complex picture, in which the economic crisis and that of public services are intertwined with the control of protests and freedom of expression.
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What happened
To understand the current climate of tension we need to look at recent years. Cuba has long been experiencing a serious economic crisis, aggravated by the shortage of essential goods, inflation, energy difficulties and the reduction of the state’s ability to guarantee regular services to the population. And from tensions with the USA.
Prolonged blackouts have become one of the most visible symbols of the crisis. In many areas of the island, power outages have fueled spontaneous protests, often born not from organized political demands, but from the demand for more sustainable living conditions.
According to Prisoners Defenders, these protests related to essential services have become one of the new areas of repression. The organization claims that publicly reporting the lack of water or electricity, documenting interventions by the authorities or participating in peaceful demonstrations can lead to criminal prosecution and detention.
From political dissent to social protest
The report highlights a significant change: protest no longer arises only from ideological or political motivations, but increasingly from immediate needs. Asking for water, electricity, better living conditions or publicly reporting a difficult situation can turn into a conflict with the authorities.
It is a dynamic that also concerns those who film or distribute images of the protests. The report cites the case of people arrested after documenting police interventions or demonstrations in neighborhoods.
One of the aspects highlighted is the involvement of families. According to Prisoners Defenders, in several cases the pressure did not stop at the arrested person, but involved relatives through threats, forced separations and economic difficulties.
Among the examples cited is the case of mothers and children involved in proceedings or arrests at the same time, a dynamic that the organization interprets as a form of pressure extended to the entire family unit.
Health and prison conditions: complaints
The report also dedicates ample space to the conditions of prisoners. According to data collected by Prisoners Defenders, among the detained people included in the list there are 463 people with serious medical conditions and 54 with serious mental health disorders without adequate treatment.
The organization also reports cases of violence, isolation, forced labor and lack of healthcare. These accusations are aimed at the Cuban authorities and are part of the monitoring conducted by the association.
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The Cuban situation shows how, in contexts of great economic and social difficulty, the boundary between political protest and protest for daily needs can become increasingly thin. When essential services such as electricity and water are lacking, the demand for immediate solutions can turn into a broader challenge to the functioning of institutions.
The figure of the 1,339 political prisoners therefore reflects not only the theme of the repression of dissent, but also that of a society characterized by growing economic and social fragility. A tension that arises from everyday life: from houses without electricity, from taps without water, from families demanding answers and from an increasingly difficult relationship between citizens and power.
HERE is the full report.
