On the 158th anniversary of the Grito de Yara, the head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, published a video message on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Havana this Saturday, stating that ordinary Cubans aspire to decide their own destiny and to maintain a close relationship with the United States.
The video began with a recollection of the uprising on October 10, 1868, when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes proclaimed the start of the Ten Years' War at the La Demajagua sugar mill. Hammer quoted the so-called father of the homeland: "Our goal is to enjoy the benefits of freedom," and emphasized that this aspiration "remains the desire of the Cuban people."
The diplomat also recalled the historic alliance between the mambises and the Rough Riders under then-Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt during the independence war of 1898, as a symbol of the ties that bind both peoples "despite the efforts of some who refuse to accept reality."
The core of the message was a direct observation from his travels across the island: "What I see and hear when I travel through the country is that ordinary Cubans want to be able to decide their own destiny and desire a close relationship with the United States, or with Yuma, as they say."
Hammer also noted that "more and more Cubans are expressing themselves peacefully, demanding that their fundamental rights be respected," and closed by reaffirming Washington's commitment: "This October 10, in memory of the legacy of Céspedes, Maceo, Martí, and the other heroes of Cuba's independence, the United States reaffirms its support for the Cuban people and the human rights they deserve, including the ability to express themselves freely and decide their own future."
The video accumulated over 34,000 views, nearly 4,000 reactions, and 366 comments within a few hours.
The message is framed within a week of intense public activity for the diplomat. On Thursday, Cuban women approached Hammer in Havana to take photos with him during a tour of the Plaza de la Revolución municipality, under the hashtag #ConCubanosDeAPie. Days earlier, the regime organized a repudiation event against Hammer in front of the building where activist Anna Bensi resides, whom the diplomat had visited after she was sentenced by a regime court.
The national holiday arrives at a particularly critical moment for Cuba. According to the organization Prisoners Defenders, the number of political prisoners on the island exceeds 1,300 cases recorded in October 2026, while power outages exceeded 2,000 megawatts of impact during most of September and the first days of this month.
It is not the first time that Hammer has referenced the independence legacy to draw a parallel with the present. At the July 4th reception, before the diplomatic community in Havana, the official delivered a direct message to the Cuban regime with phrases like "time is running out for them" and "freedom is near," expressing his hope that Cuba would be free before the end of the year.
"The night will not be eternal," Hammer then quoted, invoking the words of activist Oswaldo Payá, a phrase that on this October 10th resonates with particular strength in light of the 158 years since the Grito de Yara and the freedoms that Carlos Manuel de Céspedes demanded.
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