Cuba has been a totalitarian state since 1960. There is only one political party in Cuba and Fidel Castro has always been the leader of the party and the government of Cuba. The lack of basic freedoms of expression, of the Press, of assembly, etc. in Cuba has drawn considerable criticism from many nations of the World, not just the USA.

Dissidents are routinely harassed, incarcerated and occasionally subjected to physical abuse. The Varela Project is a written request, signed by over 10,000 citizens in Cuba, for a national plebiscite on a variety of basic issues. It was endorsed by President Jimmy Carter when he visited Cuba. The National Assembly of Cuba has rejected the Varela Project. Very few people are optimistic about the success of the Project.