Thousands of Cubans descended from Havana onto Santiago on Sunday in the biggest anti-government protests against the Communist country in decades.

The protests erupted due to Cuba's worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union, with the economy contracting by almost 11 per cent last year.

Cuba has faced a surge in COVID-19 cases, reaching a record 6923 daily cases and 47 deaths on Sunday.

The worsening health crisis has led to a shortage of basic goods, causing ordinary Cubans to line up for hours for everyday products, exposing themselves further to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the national government has also cracked down on civil liberties in order to quash the novel coronavirus.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel blamed the unrest on the United States during a televised speech he gave on Sunday afternoon, local time.

He warned police will arrest protesters, who are being spurred on by US-led “mercenaries.”

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