Editing Politics of Cuba (section)

== Authoritarianism ==
{{Main|Cuba and democracy}}
{{See also|Grassroots dictatorship|International rankings of Cuba}}

Some political scientists characterize the political system of Cuba as non-democratic and authoritarian,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hoffmann|first=Bert|date=2015-10-01|title=The international dimension of authoritarian regime legitimation: insights from the Cuban case|url=https://doi.org/10.1057/jird.2014.9|journal=Journal of International Relations and Development|language=en|volume=18|issue=4|pages=556–574|doi=10.1057/jird.2014.9|s2cid=144107918|issn=1581-1980}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Levitsky|first1=Steven|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NZDI05p1PDgC|title=Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid Regimes after the Cold War|last2=Way|first2=Lucan A.|date=2010-08-16|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-49148-8|pages=361–363|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lachapelle|first1=Jean|last2=Levitsky|first2=Steven|last3=Way|first3=Lucan A.|last4=Casey|first4=Adam E.|date=2020|title=Social Revolution and Authoritarian Durability|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/world-politics/article/abs/social-revolution-and-authoritarian-durability/B62A931E63978E8B8466225EC123D2A9|journal=World Politics|language=en|volume=72|issue=4|pages=557–600|doi=10.1017/S0043887120000106|s2cid=225096277|issn=0043-8871}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last=Miller|first=Nicola|date=2003-01-01|title=The Absolution of History: Uses of the Past in Castro's Cuba|url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0022009403038001969|journal=Journal of Contemporary History|language=en|volume=38|issue=1|pages=147–162|doi=10.1177/0022009403038001969|s2cid=153348631|issn=0022-0094}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Geoffray|first=Marie Laure|date=2015|title=Transnational Dynamics of Contention in Contemporary Cuba|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022216X15000048/type/journal_article|journal=Journal of Latin American Studies|language=en|volume=47|issue=2|pages=223–249|doi=10.1017/S0022216X15000048|s2cid=146318186|issn=0022-216X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hawkins|first=Darren|date=2001|title=Democratization Theory and Nontransitions: Insights from Cuba|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/422443|journal=Comparative Politics|volume=33|issue=4|pages=441–461|doi=10.2307/422443|jstor=422443|issn=0010-4159}}</ref> while others challenge this characterization.{{r|august2013|p=146-149}} It is a single-party state where political opposition is not permitted.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Schedler |first1=Andreas |last2=Hoffmann |first2=Bert |date=2015 |title=Communicating authoritarian elite cohesion |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13510347.2015.1095181 |journal=Democratization |language=en |volume=23 |pages=93–117 |doi=10.1080/13510347.2015.1095181 |issn=1351-0347 |s2cid=146645252}}</ref> The function of the party is different to that in liberal democracies. It does not propose candidates and is not allowed to influence elections.{{r|august2013|p=159-160}} Candidates are instead nominated directly by citizens with a show of hands in ''circunscripciones'' (very small districts).{{r|august2013|p=146-149}} Critics challenge whether this is democratic.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Galvis|first1=Ángela Fonseca|last2=Superti|first2=Chiara|date=2019-10-03|title=Who wins the most when everybody wins? Predicting candidate performance in an authoritarian election|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2019.1629420|journal=Democratization|volume=26|issue=7|pages=1278–1298|doi=10.1080/13510347.2019.1629420|s2cid=197727359|issn=1351-0347}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Domínguez|first1=Jorge I.|last2=Galvis|first2=Ángela Fonseca|last3=Superti|first3=Chiara|date=2017|title=Authoritarian Regimes and Their Permitted Oppositions: Election Day Outcomes in Cuba|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/latin-american-politics-and-society/article/abs/authoritarian-regimes-and-their-permitted-oppositions-election-day-outcomes-in-cuba/3F9E5B1A4EB059A316A9AB2BB0628216|journal=Latin American Politics and Society|language=en|volume=59|issue=2|pages=27–52|doi=10.1111/laps.12017|s2cid=157677498|issn=1531-426X}}</ref> Censorship of information (including limits to internet access) is extensive,<ref name="HRW-Cuba-III-19993"/><ref name="Michael C. Moynihan">{{Cite web|last=Moynihan|first=Michael C.|date=22 February 2008|title=Still Stuck on Castro - How the press handled a tyrant's farewell|url=http://www.reason.com/news/show/125095.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120920/http://www.reason.com/news/show/125095.html|archive-date=20 September 2012|access-date=25 March 2009}}</ref> and independent journalism is repressed in Cuba;<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 October 2006|title=62nd General Assembly Reports: Cuba|url=http://www.sipiapa.com/v4/det_informe.php?asamblea=3&infoid=62&idioma=us|access-date=6 August 2012|publisher=Inter American Press Association}}</ref> [[Reporters Without Borders]] has characterized Cuba as one of the worst countries in the world for press freedom.<ref name="Press Freedom Index 2015">[http://index.rsf.org/#!/index-details/CUB "Press Freedom Index 2015"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827202105/http://index.rsf.org/#!/index-details/CUB |date=2015-08-27 }}, Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 12 November 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=2008|title=Press Freedom Index 2008|url=http://www.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/cl_en_2008.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303221403/http://www.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/cl_en_2008.pdf|archive-date=2009-03-03|publisher=Reporters Without Borders}}</ref>

Officially, Cuba frames itself as a "[[People's democracy (Marxism–Leninism)|people's democracy]]", as opposed to the "[[liberal democracy]]" of Western states. Cuba thus rejects criticism of its political system as a lack of appreciation for different forms of democracy other than those in capitalist states.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roman|first1=Peter|title=Electing Cuba's National Assembly Deputies: Proposals, Selections, Nominations, and Campaigns|url=http://www.cedla.uva.nl/50_publications/pdf/revista/82RevistaEuropea/82-Roman-ISSN-0924-0608.pdf|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> It alludes to the grass roots elements in the nomination of candidates at neighborhood level (in the so-called ''circunscripciónes'').<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mendoza|first1=Juan|title=Elecciones en Cuba - un proceso democrático|url=http://www.cubadebate.cu/noticias/2012/12/24/elecciones-en-cuba-un-proceso-democratico/#.VKaxbXsWDZ0|website=Cubadebate|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref>

Opposition groups inside and outside the country as well as a summary published by Human Rights Watch<ref>{{cite web|last1=Human Rights Watch|title=Country Summary: Cuba|url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/wr2k6/pdf/cuba.pdf|website=Human Rights Watch|access-date=2 January 2015}}</ref> and certain foreign governments have described the Cuban political system as undemocratic. On the other hand, Cuba is a member of organisations [[ALBA]] and [[CELAC]], that consider themselves democratic.<ref>{{cite web|last=August|first=Arnold|title=CELAC Defines Democracy and Cuba Is Fully Involved|url=https://www.democracyintheus.com/CELAC_Defines_Democracy_and_Cuba_Is_Fully_Involved.pdf|date=April 2012|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref> The [[United States Government]] has initiated various policy measures ostensibly designed to urge Cuba to undertake political change towards a multi-party electoral system. These plans have been condemned by the Cuban Government, who accuses the United States of meddling in Cuba's affairs.<ref name="TVNZ_787408">{{cite news |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411319/787408 |title=Cuban official discounts US action |date=14 July 2006 |agency=[[Reuters]] |work=[[Television New Zealand]] |access-date=3 November 2011}}</ref>