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 outside her building in Alamar, Havana, on October 6th.
The incident was reported the following day by Razones de Cuba, a page linked to State Security, which portrayed what happened 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 chanting slogans against Hammer and questioning Bensi, a scene that recalls the acts of repudiation organized by the Cuban authorities against opponents and diplomatic representatives.
In the images, Hammer is seen 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 fuel be allowed to enter the island.
In the midst of the exchange, Bensi responds ironically to one of the participants: "Your iron fell," and then tells him again: "Starving."
A visit days after the conviction
The visit occurred days after the People's Municipal Court of East Havana 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 summons.
The United States Embassy shared images of the visit and questioned the judicial process against both women.
"Expressing one's 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 encountered similar situations during his visits to the island.
In January and February 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 the Cuban authorities cease sending individuals 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 Fuera de la Caja Cuba collective.
According to a report published by Cubalex, between January 23 and September 18, 2026, at least 86 repressive incidents related to the United States Embassy or Mike Hammer were documented. Of these, 83 affected activists, journalists, opposition figures, and relatives of political prisoners, while the other three were directed against the diplomat.
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