The head of the American mission in Havana, Mike Hammer, confessed to being profoundly impacted by the courage of the Cubans who, even knowing they could be arrested or harassed, choose to meet with him to share their reality.
In an interview with communicator Enrique Santos, Hammer recounted scenes that cause him "tremendous pain," but also immense admiration for ordinary people who do not remain silent.
Santos asked him what it feels like to arrive home and discover that someone has been detained simply for agreeing to speak with him. The diplomat's response was direct and emotional:
"First, an excruciating pain. And also the courage of that 12-year-old kid who dared to say... who told me... 'Look, Mike, they told me, Vladimir told me to tell you that they did arrest him'," he said.
Hammer explained that since he began touring various cities across the country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba warned of legal consequences for anyone who met with the diplomat. Nevertheless, he chose to proceed.
"When I started touring and the MINREX issued a statement saying that anyone who met with me could be stopped, even imprisoned, I told my team: 'many have asked me to go.' The first tour I did through Santa Clara, Camagüey, Trinidad, Cienfuegos... Not a single person, not one person canceled their visit with us," he shared.
Far from hiding, those citizens even requested that their story be made public: "Everyone I met asked me, 'Please, post this on social media. Please, give us a voice. Please, let people, the world, see our situation.'"
The official acknowledged that each meeting carries significant personal weight, as he knows that many of those who speak to him could pay a high price later on
"It's a tremendous weight for me to go see people whom I know may be detained and imprisoned. But they ask me to. They tell me: 'You, ambassador, don't worry… We feel the need to see you, to speak with you. We are not doing anything wrong. We simply want to express ourselves,'" he recounted.
He added the reflection that summarizes his stance: "If they have the courage to face this, how can I not see them? But it does hurt me, obviously, that a person is arrested simply for meeting with me. It shouldn't be."
Hammer's words starkly illustrate the atmosphere currently in Cuba: a country engulfed in a deep crisis, where scarcity, the collapse of basic services, and the deterioration of daily life intertwine with a systematic policy of surveillance and punishment against anyone who dares to think differently or speak with external actors.
Instead of offering real solutions to economic and social problems, those in power have chosen to further close down civic space and turn fear into a tool of control.
The escalation of harassment against those who meet with Hammer
The interview takes place amid a new wave of allegations from the United States Embassy in Cuba regarding arrests and intimidation of citizens trying to meet with the head of mission.
This same week, the diplomatic office reported that several people were arrested or threatened shortly before Hammer arrived at their homes.
The objective, according to Washington, is to prevent any direct contact between the diplomat and the population.
In a message posted on Facebook, Hammer recounted what happened in Puerto Padre, Las Tunas:
"I wanted to visit Vladimir Martín, but he was detained shortly before we arrived at his house. Why? At least they released him after we left. This happened to several others I would have liked to meet because they wanted to speak with me."
The embassy also released a video showing the diplomat arriving at Vladimir's family's home. There, he spoke with a child who explained that his parents had been detained and asked him to pass on the message.
Hammer sent you his regards and regretted not being able to see you.
Opposition activists later confirmed that Vladimir Martín Castellanos, his wife Iliana Marrero, and Ezequiel Morales Carmenatti were arrested, all to prevent them from meeting with the U.S. representative.
Despite this pattern of surveillance, detentions, and organized acts of repudiation, the ambassador has reiterated that he will continue to go wherever he is invited.
"The job of a diplomat is to understand the reality of the country they are assigned to and to inform our capital," he emphasized.
The embassy has also emphasized that neither threats nor mobilized crowds will prevent them from continuing to meet with Cubans concerned about the crisis facing the country, and it has highlighted the role of the Church as one of the few spaces still supporting the population.
A country in crisis and a state that responds with fear
All of this is happening while Cuba is experiencing one of the toughest moments in its recent history: an economy that is practically paralyzed, prolonged power outages, collapsed transportation, shortages of food and medicine, and a massive exodus that is emptying entire neighborhoods.
Far from assuming responsibilities and seeking real solutions, the government has chosen to reinforce political control.
The result is a country where meeting with a diplomat, discussing the situation, or simply expressing an opinion can lead to detention, interrogation, or something worse.
In the face of that scenario, Hammer's words not only depict repression but also the courage of citizens who, despite knowing the risks, refuse to live in silence.
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