Arrests and siege of UNPACU headquarters in Santiago de Cuba continue, denounces Ferrer.

Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer, leader of the Patriotic Union of Cuba, denounced that arbitrary arrests continue in Santiago de Cuba against activists and members of UNPACU, as well as the police siege of the organization's national headquarters.

In his Twitter profile, Ferrer noted that among the activists detained by the political police are his wife Nelva Ismarays Ortega Tamayo and his daughter, Fatima Victoria Ferrer. 

Castroism in campaign against independent press. The regime's fierce harassment of Cuban journalists is denounced at the IAPA.

A panel organized by the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) at its biannual meeting, addressed the aggressions against journalists and media in the continent, among which the case of Cuba was detailed.

Cuban independent journalist Henry Constantín denounced that house arrest of the independent press "has become the daily bread" on the island where journalists are arrested, interrogated and threatened.

The director of the digital publication "La Hora de Cuba", resident in Camagüey, explained that every time there is a relevant date the homes of journalists dawn surrounded by State Security agents. 

End of Castro era is a change of image to continue with "dictatorial rule" in Cuba: analyst.

For the first time in 62 years, there will be no Castro in the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC). Now, the island's leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, will be the new first secretary of the PCC; however, Cuban analysts and activists say that this changeover is mere symbolism.

The Eighth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) culminated on Monday with the transfer of power from Raúl Castro as first secretary of the PCC to Díaz-Canel, putting an end to the Castro era in power since 1959. The date chosen for the start of the event-which took place between April 16 and 19-began on the same day that marked the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of socialism on the island.

For political scientist and columnist for El American, Julio M. Shiling, this resignation signifies a continuation of the dictatorial rule of the regime in Cuba. 

Díaz-Canel heads the PCC. Díaz-Canel replaces Raúl Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel replaced Raúl Castro as first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba on Monday, on the fourth and last day of the VIII Congress of the political formation.

The 300 delegates present at the meeting endorsed the report that places the development of the national economy, together with "ideological firmness", among the main missions of the Cuban single party, according to state media.

The meeting, which concludes today, was held behind closed doors and without access to the foreign press.

In his central report, Raúl Castro repeated, as in the last Congress, that the election of Díaz-Canel is not the result of improvisation, but that he is a thought-out candidate.