Zamira Marrero Morgado, president of the People's Municipal Tribunal of Havana del Este, will preside over the trial this Thursday against the influencer Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente, known as Anna Bensi, and her mother, Caridad Silvente, as revealed by activists on their social media profiles.
At the end of August, Zamira Marrero Morgado would have dismissed the defense's request to annul the trial against the young woman and her mother. The motion would have been based on the argument that the facts they are accused of would not constitute a crime, according to a report by Irma Broek.
The appointment of that judge has raised alarms among activists and independent media.
The name Marrero Morgado appears in public allegations linking her to legal proceedings against protesters from the July 11, 2021 (11-J) demonstrations, particularly in cases related to the La Güinera neighborhood in Havana.
Marrero Morgado was part of the tribunal that resolved one of the trials for 129 protesters from July 11, held on December 20 and 21, 2021, in which sentences of up to 30 years in prison for sedition were requested.
The paradox highlighted by those following the case is hard to ignore: this same jurist defended a master's thesis at the University of Havana in April 2025 on the "best interests of the child who commits a crime" and has published academic articles focused on the protection of minors' rights.
The profile of La Tijera News stated precisely: "It is striking that a jurist whose doctoral thesis focused on protecting the rights of young people is now handling a case that involves precisely a young woman and her mother."
The independent media also questioned the participation of a figure with such a history in international events on “Dialogue” and “Human Rights” representing Cuba.
The case against Anna Bensi and her mother originated in March 2026 when they recorded and shared on social media the visit of a MININT subofficer who came to their home with a summons from State Security.
The authorities charged them under Article 393 of the Penal Code, concerning "acts against personal and family privacy," which stipulates penalties of two to five years in prison. Since March 25, both have been under house arrest and prohibited from leaving the country.
Cubalex defended that recording the police is a citizen's right, not a crime, in direct response to the accusation.
The trial, initially scheduled for September 17, was postponed and set for October 1. In July, Anna Bensi was detained for nearly 11 hours at a police station in Alamar, where she reported threats of imprisonment if she continued to publish critical content.
The case has garnered solidarity both inside and outside of Cuba. The American diplomat Mike Hammer visited the accused in April 2026, and this Wednesday Cuban Baptists rallied in support of the mother and daughter.
Anna Bensi, for her part, was clear in the days leading up to the trial: she publicly stated that she will not remain silent, regardless of the outcome of the proceedings.
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