The communist state of Cuba is officially an atheist state and is notorious for suppressing the work of Christian missionaries. It has many political and religious prisoners. Last year, USCIRF called on the U.S. government to specifically press Cuba “through all available diplomatic channels” to release all political prisoners, and lift repressive laws and restrictions on freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief.
There were only 1,100 churches and house churches in 1991 – the year when the Congressional Communist Party voted to change Cuba’s constitutional status from atheist to secular state, according to WorldServe. Now, there are more than 16,000 house churches, said the ministry which has worked in Cuba for over a decade.
Under Open Doors' 2009 World Watch List, Cuba is ranked at No. 33 among 50 nations that are worst persecutors of Christians which has about 11 million populations according to CIA World Factbook. A growing Evangelical Christians account for about 5 percent of the population.
