Fidel Castro rose to power in 1959, steering Cuba into communism. After decades of exporting his revolution to Latin America and Africa, the nation of 11.2 million is the last bastion of communism in the West. Following a decline in health, Castro turned the presidency over to his brother, Raúl, in 2008. Subsequent economic reform has not brought civil or political change.

Despite increasing dissident activity, political opposition remains illegal. Emigration and pervasive hopelessness are prevalent, as Cuba’s progress continues to be hampered by the U.S. trade embargo, devastating hurricanes, repressive centralized-socialist planning, corruption and poor productivity. Lack of many essentials, including food, still affects the country.

In the early years of Communist rule, strict control of all church activities and repression of religious freedom was common, but since 1990, the degree of pressure has lessened. Discrimination against Christians is illegal. However, discrimination and harassment continue, as growing churches are often perceived as a threat to regime stability. The Cuban Council of Churches is the Protestant umbrella group sanctioned by the regime. It endorses an expression of faith more in keeping with the revolutionary ideals of the regime, including liberation theology. Following Jesus remains a sacrificial choice while the regime fears the Church as a social movement like that which undermined communism in Eastern Europe and China.

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