Surviving the “waking nightmare”: securing stability in the face of crisis in Cuba (1989-2004)

This paper explores how Cuba has remained politically stable despite economic crisis. Prior to the crisis, the regime had accumulated considerable political capital reserves, and had developed institutional mechanisms capable of monitoring and controlling discontent. However, the 1990s saw an increasing distancing between state and society, and growing disillusion. Yet the Cuban state has succeeded in maintaining the political opposition marginalized from society, and has responded by seeking ways of re-securing popular support.