Is Cuba still a communist country?
Cuba is one of a few extant Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist states, in which the role of the vanguard Communist Party is enshrined in the Constitution.
Organization. The PCC governs Cuba as an authoritarian one-party state where dissidence and political opposition are prohibited and repressed.
Elections in Cuba are held at municipal, provincial, and national levels. Cuba is a one-party state, with the Communist Party of Cuba being described as the "superior driving force of the society and the state" in the Constitution of Cuba, and the communist party is the only official political party.
| Miguel Díaz-Canel | |
|---|---|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 10 October 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Manuel Marrero Cruz |
| Vice President | Salvador Valdés Mesa |
Events. 26 March – 2023 Cuban parliamentary election: Citizens in Cuba head to the polls to elect the members of the National Assembly. 5 September – The Cuban foreign ministry says they are aware of activities that sought to enlist Cuban citizens to fight on Russia's side in the Russo-Ukrainian War.
We advise: Exercise a high degree of caution in Cuba due to the threat of violent crime.
As of January 14, 2013, all Cuban government-imposed travel restrictions and controls have been abolished. Since that date, any Cuban citizen, with a valid passport, can leave the country at will, without let or hindrance from the Cuban authorities.
Legal environment. Cuba has less accessibility to freedom of expression and the press than any other country in the Americas. Laws restrict the freedom of speech to protect state security.
Cuba's totalitarian regime controls all aspects of life through the Communist Party (CP) and its affiliated mass organizations, the government bureaucracy and the Department of State Security.
According to a 2022 report from the Cuban Human Rights Observatory (OCDH), 72 percent of Cubans live below the poverty line. 21 percent of Cubans who live below the poverty line frequently go without breakfast, lunch or dinner due to a lack of money. Pensions are among the smallest in the Americas at $9.50/month.
Why are we not allowed in Cuba?
The U.S. government state department placed an embargo on trade between Cuba and the United States of America in 1962. Until this day, it makes travel to Cuba harder than you might think, but not impossible.
People-to-People travel allows every American to come to Cuba, meet islanders, and enjoy cultural, artistic, and educational activities – the same as traveling to any other country. Yet caveats remain. Cuba travel must be hosted by a tour company based in the United States.
The United States assumed territorial control over the southern portion of Guantánamo Bay under the 1903 Lease. The United States exercises jurisdiction and control over this territory as the home of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, while recognizing that Cuba retains ultimate sovereignty.
President Biden lightened restrictions on Trump-era policies for Americans entering Cuba so it is perfectly legal to visit Cuba in 2023, provided you meet a few requirements.
It's prohibited to bring into the country: narcotics, explosives, p*rnography, any item (including literature) intended to be used against the national security, animals and plants regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, GPS, cordless phones (for the ...
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Cuba, however it is seldom used. The last executions were in 2003. National legislation provides for death penalty for murder, threatening to commit murder, aggravated rape, terrorism, hijacking, piracy, drug trafficking and manufacturing, espionage, and treason.
Cuba offers more budget-friendly options in destinations like Varadero and Holguin, while Mexico provides a wider range of all-inclusive experiences in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Vallarta.
Tip the locals in products
Cash is great, but Cubans (who are some of the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere) will most appreciate receiving daily items that can be hard to come by or too expensive to purchase, such as toothpaste, tampons, soap, and even articles of clothing.
Take care in central Havana at night. Use a taxi rather than walk, even if you're only a few blocks away from your destination. There have been attacks on foreigners in hire cars after their tyres have been deliberately punctured. If you get a puncture in a remote area, drive on to a town before stopping.
For two decades thereafter, any Cuban caught on the waters between the two nations (with "wet feet") would summarily be returned to Cuba or sent to a third country, while one who made it to shore ("dry feet") got a chance to remain in the United States, and later would qualify for expedited "legal permanent resident" ...
How many Americans live in Cuba?
Americans take refuge in Cuba Expatriates: About 2,000 to 3,000 Americans live in Cuba. Most of them were born in the United States to Cuban parents. A handful are on the run from U.S. authorities.
OMB defines "Hispanic or Latino" as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.
Internet in Cuba is limited due to current government rules and regulations but also due to US sanctions that block Cuban access to some platforms like Zoom. Cuba's Internet connection is via the ALBA-1 cable to Venezuela. The United States refuses to allow an undersea cable to pass 100 miles from Cuba to Florida.
While the food rations are not free, the ration fees are a small fraction of the actual price of the goods (on average, less than $2 USD for a month of rations, which is approximately 12% of their market value). Purchases of the goods can also be made outside of the system.
Cuban authorities have also taken steps to dismantle the limited civic space that allowed these protests to occur. In May 2022, lawmakers passed a new criminal code that includes multiple overly broad offenses that could be used to criminalize peaceful challenging of the government.
