Cuba’s government is the main reason Christians face persecution. Anything deemed to be in competition with the Communist Party of Cuba is squeezed, and this includes the Christian faith. Church leaders or believers who speak out against human injustice or political corruption—or who dare to criticize the regime—risk interrogation, arrest, smear campaigns and even prison sentences.

Authorities can also target churches. Because churches require registration to be legal, the government can deny the registration or simply ignore the application of some religious groups, forcing these churches to operate illegally. This gives the government an excuse to shut them down whenever they please. In these cases, the government then imposes penalties on churches, including fines, the demolition of buildings, church closure and the confiscation of property. 

Churches permitted to register with the government do so under extreme scrutiny and monitoring. All churches are monitored in Cuba, and may be infiltrated by citizens sympathetic to the regime and/or State security agents. Registered or unregistered, churches continue to be open for worship throughout Cuba—but only as long as the government allows it.  As soon as a leader or a Christian is deemed to be anti-government or anti-revolutionary, the response is swift and harsh.