Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz has called on citizens to actively defend the regime he represents on social media every day, despite the ongoing challenges of blackouts and limited internet access affecting the Cuban population. "On World Social Media Day, we reiterate President Díaz-Canel's call to make a daily vindication of Cuba. Let these platforms serve as a stage to share our truth, to unite and build," Marrero stated on X.
A few weeks ago, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel affirmed that the regime has embraced the challenge posed by social media—platforms they previously ignored and now recognize as a new battleground for political conflict. "We've accepted the challenge; we're going to battle on social media. And we will fight to win," Díaz-Canel declared in an interview published on the YouTube channel Presidencia Cuba, during a discussion with four Spanish journalists at the "Patria" Colloquium in Havana.
The leader acknowledged that his government was slow to react to the rise of social media, citing the historic July 11, 2021 protests as a pivotal moment, which he described as a "massive media operation." "We were late to social media. More than that, they orchestrated a national protest on July 11 with a massive media operation. At that time, we were hardly present on social media," he admitted.
For ordinary Cubans, however, the situation is dire, as they endure blackouts lasting over 20 hours and face steep internet costs. Following a recent price hike, they can only top up their mobile data service up to 360 Cuban pesos (CUP) every 30 days, a drastic and unprecedented limitation. This amount barely allows for the purchase of a 6 GB data package in a country where salaries fall short of meeting basic needs.
The Cuban regime is evidently concerned about what it terms "the battle" on social media, deploying an army of accounts operated by officials, state workers, and bots, popularly known as ciberclarias. Meanwhile, it imposes fines, warnings, and prison sentences on those who express critical views in this sphere.
Recently, the Cuban Prosecutor's Office sought a 10-year prison sentence for Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez, an activist and coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu) in the Río Cauto municipality, Granma province. His crime: posting criticisms of the Cuban government on social media. The case has sparked outrage both within and outside Cuba and was publicly denounced by his wife, Eliannis Villavicencio Jorge, who shared a fragment of the Prosecutor's document detailing the sentence request on social media.
Verdecia was arrested on February 6, 2025, by the Cuban political police, accused of making posts that allegedly "threaten the constitutional order." Since then, he has been imprisoned at the provincial prison of Las Mangas in Bayamo.
Challenges of Social Media and Internet Access in Cuba
What challenges do Cubans face with internet access?
Cubans face significant challenges with internet access, including frequent blackouts and high costs, limiting their ability to recharge mobile data services to a maximum of 360 CUP every 30 days.
How has the Cuban government responded to social media challenges?
The Cuban government has begun to engage actively on social media, recognizing it as a new battleground for political conflict. They have deployed state-operated accounts and bots to influence narratives while penalizing critical voices.