Cuba's Three Autocratic Transitions: From Revolutionary Regime to (Post)Totalitarianism and New Authoritarianism?

ABSTRACT Cuba is the oldest and most consolidated autocracy in the Americas. Its Revolution in 1959, the charisma of Fidel Castro, the single‐party system and the US embargo have made the island an exceptional case. However, recent developments such as popular protests, limited reforms, emigration or socio‐economic decline are bringing about some political changes. Within a peculiar autocratic continuity since the Cuban Revolution, the presidency of Miguel Díaz‐Canel corresponds to some characteristics of new authoritarianism which will be examined in this article, focusing on the idea of three intra‐autocratic transitions: (1) from an authoritarian revolutionary regime to totalitarianism, (2) from totalitarian to post‐totalitarianism and (3) towards new authoritarianism that preserves some features of the past.