In Cuba, changes were expected. The economic liberalization brought about by Raúl Castro established different types of ownership, the empowerment of the self-employed, and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the United States in 2014, encouraged ideas of political changes.
The reform of the Constitution that was adopted on 24 February 2019, recognized - without relinquishing the primacy of the Communist Party and the socialist model of public management - reforms that incorporated limits to a president's term in office to two consecutive five-year terms, while setting the age for election as president at 60, empowering governors and creating a National Electoral Council. Private property and the promotion of foreign investment are now recognized. The text also expands the protection of human rights and constitutional guarantees. Regulations for this new legislation are still lacking, and meanwhile, political persecution is increasing and there is a constant threat to freedom of expression and movement.
In recent years there has been an increase in the numbers of unwarranted arrests of independent journalists, artists or social activists, as well as an increase in the number of obstacles to mobilize for meetings and gatherings at the local, national or international level, and imprisonments without trial.
