The Cuban activist Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente (Anna Bensi) reported new threats and acts of pressure against her and her close circle, amid a growing climate of tension following recent summonses by State Security to family members and acquaintances.
The content creator shared a video on social media in which she reveals information about new intimidation tactics, this time against her friend Chío, urging her to "persuade" the young influencer to stop expressing herself critically against the system.
Anna Bensi shared a recording of a call with her friend, in which she recounts the harassment by the Cuban political police, who allegedly threatened to cancel their supposed trips abroad.
"Threatening with trips abroad?" the young woman joked in the clip. She then addressed the repressors directly, stating that at least "they are well aware that the majority of the population is fed up with living in this pigsty, where the pigs are the ones in charge."
She also reported that, amid the recent police summonses for her mother and the aforementioned friend, the authorities allegedly tried to discredit her through personal insinuations or supposed legal cases opened against her, even accusing her of being a "mercenary," one of the charges that the regime commonly assigns to opponents and critical voices from civil society in a spurious manner.
In addition to denying any alleged pending legal action, Bensi pointed out that these intimidations directed at her close circle will not silence her. She insisted that she will not change her stance or stop making the repression public.
The statement occurs in an environment marked by recent summonses from State Security to her mother, Cary Silvente, who attended interrogations in Havana accompanied by her lawyer.
According to previous reports from the family, these episodes have been tied to threats of sanctions, temporary isolation, and pressures related to the young woman's activity on social media.
In her most recent message, Bensi reiterated her stance as an opponent of the Cuban political system and defended her right to free expression. "Yes, I am a dissident. Yes, I am against the Cuban dictatorship. And that is not a crime," she said.
"Dear Cuban dictatorship, I regret to be the one to remind you that we are no longer in the '80s or '90s. I regret to be the one to remind you that you are in your final weeks. I regret to be the one to remind you that there is a new generation that is no longer afraid," the young woman addressed.
The case has garnered attention both inside and outside of Cuba in recent weeks, with statements even from the U.S. diplomatic representation on the Island, which questioned the pressures from Cuban authorities against the influencer and her mother, while demanding that they stop threatening them.
While citizen protests are increasing across the country amidst a structural crisis that severely impacts basic living conditions, the government and its repressive bodies are ramping up surveillance, summonses, and abuses to prevent any dissent.
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