HRF calls on all democracies to support the Cuban people’s right to self-determination. A recent poll by @eltoquecom is the latest expression of the desire for change from a people muzzled by unlawful repression and intimidation from a regime that must be called out for its systematic rights violations.

The Cuban outlet El Toque, one of the few independent media outlets still operating inside the country, published an opinion poll that received more than 40,000 responses in which 96% of respondents stated that political change is “extremely urgent.” More than 17,000 of respondents live on the island, where internet access is limited.

The Cuban regime has tightly restricted civic space and continues to persecute all forms of dissent, partly to prevent the truth about life under its tyranny from reaching the rest of the world. Cubans continue to protest, but the regime has imposed an atmosphere of fear, pressuring people to remain silent.

The regime-made humanitarian crisis that has forced Cubans to endure power outages and essential goods shortages for years is intensifying under heightened external pressure, triggering new demonstrations. All democracies must come out in defense of the Cuban people’s fundamental rights and demand a peaceful transition to democracy.