A Cuban woman named Mercy Mejías has sparked a conversation on social media by posing a question that resonates with many Cubans who feel silenced: Why is it that in Cuba, speaking out against the government can lead to imprisonment, while in other countries it is a right practiced freely?
In a video lasting just over a minute and a half, Mejías shares her observations after watching a Spanish program where open discussions about the president's mistakes and calls for resignation were part of the dialogue.
"In that program in Spain, they talk about the president, his mistakes, whether he should resign, and nothing happens; no one is punished, no one is jailed," she points out.
Questioning Cuba's System of Repression
Using this comparison as a springboard, Mejías directly challenges those who support the Cuban regime: "Why can't we criticize the government's wrongdoings when they occur? Why are we beaten? Why are we imprisoned? Why is there repression against the people when we express our opinions?"
She closes the video with a question that encapsulates the feelings of many: "And then we hear that it’s not a dictatorship or repression. Can someone explain what this is called?"
The video has garnered over 34,000 views, 1,723 reactions, and 639 comments, highlighting how deeply this issue resonates with Cubans both on and off the island.
Documented Violations of Free Speech
Mejías's concerns are not isolated. According to a report documenting violations of free expression in Cuba, the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) recorded 1,188 violations in 2025, a 54.7% increase from the previous year. In the first half of 2026 alone, there were 1,949 repressive actions.
Reporters Without Borders ranked Cuba 160th out of 180 countries in its 2026 press freedom index, based on the effects of Decree-Law 370, which criminalizes the dissemination of information deemed "contrary to social interest" online.
Recent Incidents of Political Repression
Numerous and recent are the cases of Cubans imprisoned for expressing themselves on social media. Erich Alain Chang Padrón was detained on May 18 after a Facebook video where he called Díaz-Canel "shameless, a nobody, a nonentity."
Mayelín Rodríguez Prado was sentenced to 15 years for live-streaming protests on Facebook.
Rapper Fernando Almenares received a five-year sentence in January 2026 for displaying banners with human rights messages.
Artist Leonard Richard González Alfonso was sentenced to seven years in March 2026 for painting "How long? They are killing us" on a wall, protesting power outages.
Prisoners Defenders reported 1,281 political prisoners in Cuba as of May 2026, the highest number ever recorded. Over 2,100 people have been jailed for political reasons since July 2021, according to human rights organizations.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has warned that political repression in Cuba is at a "critical and alarming" level, with historically high rates of arbitrary detentions.
Understanding Cuba's Restrictions on Free Speech
Why is criticizing the government in Cuba so dangerous?
In Cuba, expressing dissent against the government can lead to severe repercussions, including imprisonment, due to strict laws that restrict free speech and label criticism as a threat to social order.
How does Cuba's press freedom rank globally?
Cuba ranks 160th out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom, reflecting significant limitations on journalistic freedoms and state control over information.
What are some recent cases of repression in Cuba?
Recent cases include individuals like Erich Alain Chang Padrón, Mayelín Rodríguez Prado, Fernando Almenares, and Leonard Richard González Alfonso, who were jailed for expressing dissent through social media and art.