CDR (Committees for the Defense of the Republic)

The Committees for the Defense of the Republic (CDR) were neighborhood-based groups established in Cuba during the early 1960s to promote revolutionary ideals and support the government. Initially created as community organizations to provide social services and monitor local activities, they quickly evolved into tools for political surveillance and control. The CDRs gathered information on residents, reported dissent, and helped maintain government authority. While intended to foster community cohesion, they often played a role in suppressing opposition and enforcing loyalty to the Cuban Revolution.