Cuba Detains Pastor After Canceled Prayer Event

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

HAVANA (Worthy News) – A Protestant pastor leading an underground church in communist-run Cuba has been detained for more than a month after authorities canceled a large public prayer event, Worthy News learned Friday.

Pastor Maikel Pupo Velázquez, who leads the unregistered Sacred Blessing Word of Fire Church in Camagüey, was arrested September 26 after attempting to prevent worshippers from attending a prayer gathering that police had prohibited, according to Christians familiar with the situation.

Christian advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) reported that the event was scheduled to take place at the Cándido González Morales Stadium, where Christians from several congregations had planned to pray for their nation.

However, police warned the pastor that he could face imprisonment if anyone gathered at the venue, prompting him to cancel the meeting out of concern for those planning to attend.

PASTOR ARRESTED

“Pastor Maikel wanted to ensure that any young people possibly arriving at the stadium, due to their unawareness of the cancellation, were duly informed,” VOMC explained. As he approached the stadium to encourage possible attendees to disperse, state security officers arrested him on a charge of “disobedience.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), which first reported details of the detention, said the pastor was initially held incommunicado for nine days at a state security headquarters before being transferred to La Cerámica Roja prison on the outskirts of Camagüey.

The detention brought additional distress to his family because his 16-year-old daughter was receiving treatment in a hospital cardiac ward, according to CSW.

His wife, Pastor Anisley Ortiz, has publicly appealed for her husband’s release, asking Christians to pray for him and describing his imprisonment as unjust.

PREVIOUS DETENTION

CSW demanded his immediate release and the withdrawal of the charge, arguing that the pastor had been attempting to comply peacefully with the authorities’ instructions.

This was not his first encounter with Cuban security forces. In July 2025, he was detained after attempting to deliver medicine and other assistance to the families of two political prisoners.

Despite previous pressure from authorities, Pupo Velázquez remained active in Christian outreach. CSW reported that he led a youth gathering in August at which numerous young people embraced Christianity, followed by nightly prayer meetings organized by participants.

The pastor’s detention comes amid broader concerns about restrictions on religious freedom in Cuba, where churches operating without government registration face particular scrutiny.

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION

Cuba ranks 24th on the 2026 World Watch List published by the Christian advocacy organization Open Doors, which identifies the 50 countries where it says Christians face the most severe persecution.

According to Open Doors, Christian leaders and activists who criticize the communist government risk harassment, surveillance, arbitrary arrest, imprisonment and restrictions on religious activities.

Authorities also routinely refuse registration to new churches, leaving some congregations vulnerable to fines, closures, confiscation of property and legal action against their leaders.

The organization attributes the pressure to the communist government’s efforts to control religious institutions and suppress independent voices, particularly those challenging official policies.

COMMUNIST RULE CONTINUES

VOMC urged Christians worldwide to pray that Pastor Pupo Velázquez would soon be released and reunited with his family and congregation. The group also requested prayers for his daughter, who has faced serious health difficulties, and for other Cuban believers experiencing pressure because of their faith.

Christians face pressure at a time when Cuba remains under President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who also heads the ruling Communist Party. He succeeded Raúl Castro as president in 2018 and as party leader in 2021, ending decades of direct rule by Fidel Castro and his brother while maintaining the island’s one-party political system.

The Communist Party continues to exercise extensive control over political and religious life. Human rights organizations say authorities view independent churches and religious leaders who refuse government oversight as potential challenges to state authority, particularly when they support political prisoners or criticize official policies.

The crackdown comes amid economic hardship, widespread power outages and public frustration over shortages of food, medicine and fuel.

Cuban authorities blame much of the crisis on U.S. sanctions and defend restrictions as necessary for national stability. Still, rights groups accuse the government of using surveillance, arrests and intimidation to silence dissent, including among Christians.