The visit of the head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, to the young activist Anna Bensi, who was recently sentenced along with her mother, was marked by an act of repudiation in front of her building in Alamar, Havana, on October 6.
The incident was reported the following day by Razones de Cuba, a page linked to State Security, which portrayed the event as a spontaneous reaction from neighbors outraged by the presence of the American diplomat.
However, in the recording, a small group of people can be heard shouting slogans against Hammer and questioning Bensi, a scene reminiscent of the acts of repudiation organized by the Cuban authorities against opponents and diplomatic representatives.
The images show Hammer arriving at the building and embracing Bensi and his mother, Caridad Silvente, on the stairs. Meanwhile, several people are shouting slogans against the U.S. embargo and demanding that they allow fuel into the island.
In the midst of the exchange, Bensi responds with irony to one of the participants: "Your iron fell," and then tells him again: "Starving to death."
A visit days after the sentencing
The visit took place days after the Municipal People's Court of Havana del Este , to two years of restricted freedom for recording and publishing the visit of an agent from the Ministry of the Interior who came to their home to deliver a citation.
The United States Embassy shared images of the visit and questioned the judicial process against both women.
"Expressing your opinion and belief in God and Christian values is not a crime. Why do state agents not go in uniform and fear being identified so much?" stated the diplomatic mission.
The message concluded with a warning: “Like other diplomatic missions we are taking note. A responsible government would put an end to these practices. But in Cuba?”.
Other episodes of harassment against Hammer
This is not the first time the diplomat has faced similar situations during his tours of the island.
In January and February of 2026, Hammer was targeted by acts of repudiation in Trinidad and Camagüey, while in June 2025 he suffered another one of these demonstrations organized by the regime at the lanchita de Regla in Havana.
After those episodes, the U.S. State Department demanded that Cuban authorities stop sending people to interfere with diplomatic activities.
Hammer had also visited Bensi in April, when she and her mother were under house arrest, and met with the young woman again in May alongside members of the group Fuera de la Caja Cuba.
According to a report published by Cubalex, between January 23 and September 18, 2026, at least 86 repressive incidents related to the Embassy of the United States or Mike Hammer were documented. Of these, 83 targeted activists, journalists, dissidents, and relatives of political prisoners, while the other three were directed against the diplomat.
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