Opposition group seeks end to Communist Party monopoly in Cuba

May 26 (UPI) -- The opposition platform Consejo para la Transición Democrática en Cuba, known as CTDC, launched a campaign seeking a constitutional reform to end the "civil and political" monopoly of the Communist Party of Cuba.

The organization announced Monday that it aims to amend Article 5 of Cuba's Constitution, which defines the Communist Party as the "superior leading force of society and the state."

In a statement, the group said the current model "perpetuates physical and symbolic violence over an entire nation" and blamed it for the "successive economic and social crises" affecting the island, according to the independent news outlet Diario de Cuba.

Cuba's opposition is a deeply fragmented, peaceful and heavily persecuted movement that operates clandestinely, under semi-confinement or from exile because of the Communist Party government's criminalization of dissent.

Despite constant state repression, including arbitrary detentions, summary trials and forced exile, the dissident movement includes a wide range of civic platforms, human rights advocates and coalitions that promote political change in Cuba.

The CTDC is a five-year-old opposition platform that brings together organizations, activists and independent projects seeking to establish a common front for a democratic transition in Cuba.

Manuel Cuesta Morúa, president of the opposition coalition, told Martí Noticias that the group has convened 21 specialists and legal experts to draft an initial proposal for constitutional reform that later must be approved by the council.

"It is important that we defend and embrace political pluralism. Our dilemma is Cuba or nothingness, not the single party or nothingness," Cuesta Morúa said.

He said the initiative relies on mechanisms already established under Cuban law that allow citizens to promote constitutional reforms with the support of at least 50,000 certified voters. The group announced the start of a national campaign encouraging citizens to request voter certifications required for the process.

Cuesta Morúa also said that 21 experts, intellectuals, legal scholars and citizens will participate in drafting a concrete constitutional reform proposal.

Analysts and opposition figures acknowledge that the initiative faces major institutional obstacles in the short term. Cuba's state apparatus and the National Assembly of People's Power remain firmly controlled by the ruling party.

However, amid growing pressure from the administration of Donald Trump on Cuba's communist government, the CTDC has launched a broader political and civic strategy aimed at gaining legitimacy and securing a role in future negotiations between Washington and Havana. The proposal to amend the Constitution and challenge the one-party system forms part of that effort.

The platform argues that Cuba's future should not be decided solely between the two governments, but should also include the participation of independent Cuban civil society.

By seeking involvement in future diplomatic talks, the CTDC aims to condition any easing of sanctions or bilateral agreements on progress in human rights, the release of political prisoners and steps toward a pluralist democratic transition.

Copyright 2026 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 12:58 PM.