The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) has recorded a minimum of 332 instances of repression throughout Cuba in May 2026. Among these, 55 were arbitrary arrests, while 277 were various other forms of regime abuse.
This report highlights the frequent police sieges of activists' homes as the most common violation, documenting 79 such cases. Other significant abuses included mistreatment of political and common prisoners (58 cases) and communication disruptions (43 cases).
Hotspots of Repression
The provinces experiencing the highest levels of repression were Havana, Camagüey, Las Tunas, and Holguín.
Early in the month, Berta Soler Fernández, leader of the Damas de Blanco, along with her husband Ángel Juan Moya Acosta, were detained by State Security agents in the 10 de Octubre municipality as they left the organization's headquarters.
Key Arrests and Incidents
Yoan de la Cruz, a young man known for recording one of the first protests on July 11, 2021, was also arrested, as well as Colombian journalist Daniel Maldonado, who was detained for four hours and declared persona non grata with a ban on re-entering the island.
On May 15, dermatologist Sordey Ballester Horta was detained in Matanzas, allegedly for photographing a sign reading "Down with the dictatorship" on Santa Marta street. Her family reported that officers informed her she was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
That same day, Amanda Reyes Moreno and Lusmari Reyes Moreno from the Dolores community in San Miguel del Padrón, Havana, were arrested after peacefully protesting over 30 hours without electricity.
Repressive Wave in Holguín
From May 19 to 22, a new wave of repression swept through Holguín, triggered by protests against power outages lasting over 20 hours. The OCDH identified at least ten detainees, including Eusebio Martínez Matos, Braulio Cuenca, Jenny Moré, Jaime Bosch, and four members of the Thope family. Prisoners Defenders reported 14 new political prisoners resulting from this crackdown.
On May 20, former political prisoner Mario Alberto Hernández Leyva and activist Fidel Mojena were arrested. The following day, Erick Alain Chang Padrón was detained and taken to the Villa Marista penal processing center. Opponent Guillermo "Coco" Fariñas Hernández, a member of the United Antitotalitarian Forum (FANTU), was also arrested.
Escalating Repression Throughout 2026
The OCDH also documented the travel ban imposed on Dr. Alina Bárbara López Hernández, co-director of the Cuba Section of the Latin American Studies Association, who was invited to attend the association's annual congress.
May's figures are part of a sustained increase in repression throughout 2026, with the OCDH recording 390 actions in January, 231 in February, and 277 in March.
Simultaneously, Prisoners Defenders reported a new all-time high of 1,281 political prisoners at the end of May, with 28 new additions that month. From July 11, 2021, to the end of May 2026, the organization has counted a total of 2,076 political prisoners.
Yaxys Cires, OCDH's director of strategies, expressed a stark assessment: "The regime is moving Cuba further away from a peaceful transition and toward complete collapse. The rise in repression and the lack of efforts to reduce extreme poverty are a slam in the face of demands for real change in Cuba." He posed a critical question to the authorities: "Why not initiate a political, economic, and social change process that is measurable and open to all sectors of Cuban society and the diaspora?"
Understanding Cuba's Repression in 2026
What were the main forms of repression documented in Cuba in May 2026?
The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights documented 332 repressive actions, including 55 arbitrary arrests and 277 other forms of regime abuse. Police sieges on activists' homes, mistreatment of prisoners, and communication disruptions were among the most common violations.
Which provinces in Cuba experienced the highest levels of repression in May 2026?
Havana, Camagüey, Las Tunas, and Holguín were the provinces with the highest concentration of repressive actions documented in May 2026.
Who are some of the key individuals arrested in Cuba in May 2026?
Key arrests included Berta Soler Fernández, leader of the Damas de Blanco, her husband Ángel Juan Moya Acosta, Yoan de la Cruz, and journalist Daniel Maldonado, among others.