In the period March-April 2021, a series of incidents involving government action against Christians has been reported:
- 27 March 2021, Las Tunas: Diario de Cuba reported that the Missionary Church in Cuba and Pastor Yoel Demetrio"s home were damaged by local residents sympathetic to the regime throwing stones. The church belongs to an evangelical network which the state refuses to legalize.
- 16 April 2021, Las Tunas: "Religious Freedom for Cuba" reported on Facebook that Pastor Alain Santiesteban and his wife were fined 2,000 pesos for disregarding social-distancing measures, despite not conducting any worship at the time. Days later, a justice official banned them from holding any church services at all.
- 23 April 2021, Holguƒn: "Religious Freedom for Cuba" reported on Facebook that the police had seized 1,449 electric table fans from a Pentecostal Church on charges of hoarding and illegal sale. The fans were donated for distribution to churches in the area.
- 24 April 2021: Cibercuba reported that a young Catholic had received death threats due to his posts on social injustice. An unknown man on a motorbike near his home approached him, saying: "Be careful what you are putting on the internet, you are going to earn two stabs."
World Watch Research analyst Rossana Ramirez gives some background information: "On 16 April 2021, Raul Castro
resigned as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (Reuters, 20 April 2021). This means that for the first time in more than 60 years Cuba has no Castro family member in power. However, the current president of Cuba, ‚ Miguel Dƒaz-Canel, will take his position and ensure regime continuity. Control and repression will thus continue to take their course. In this context, Christians will continue to be monitored and harassed by the Communist Party and its sympathizers. Campaigns against Christians are common, and vulnerability has increased, especially for unregistered churches on the island."
