Independent journalist and activist Yoani Sánchez, who leads the digital platform 14ymedio, was detained on Wednesday while walking in Havana. The arrest was carried out by State Security agents aiming to prevent her from attending a diplomatic reception hosted by Mike Hammer, the chief of the U.S. mission in Cuba.
According to a report from 14ymedio, the incident took place as Sánchez was en route to the U.S. diplomat's residence, where an event was set to mark the beginning of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence.
Her husband, journalist Reinaldo Escobar, was also targeted in the operation. He was intercepted by plainclothes agents after exiting through a different door of their building and was forced to return home.
Surveillance and Detention on Havana Streets
Sánchez recounted being followed for several minutes by a young man without a uniform, who partially concealed his face. Though he called her by name, he refused to identify himself.
Shortly after, the man called for backup, seemingly unable to specify his exact location. Sánchez suggested this was likely due to a common practice by the Ministry of the Interior, which involves deploying officers from eastern provinces unfamiliar with Havana.
The critical moment occurred at the intersection of Ayestarán Avenue and Primera Street in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality. Here, Sánchez was approached by the agent and three others—a man and two women—who joined the operation.
The two men displayed IDs with the initials DSE (Department of State Security), while the women remained unidentified.
Restriction of Movement as a Tactic
Agents instructed Sánchez to walk back to her home, imposing a movement restriction until the following day.
"Maybe because they don't have fuel," Sánchez quipped, referencing the energy and fuel crisis affecting even the regime's repressive machinery.
The four agents escorted her to the entrance of her residence, making it clear that the sole purpose of the operation was to prevent her from attending the diplomatic event.
"Of course, I was going there, where else would I be going?" Sánchez heard one of the agents remark.
A Broader Pattern of Repression
The event Sánchez and Escobar were invited to was scheduled for 5:00 p.m. at Hammer's residence in the Playa municipality, with Rob Allison, the State Department's Cuba affairs coordinator, in attendance.
Sánchez's detention was not an isolated incident. According to the report, other activists and dissidents such as Boris González, Berta Soler, and Ángel Moya faced police operations at their homes to prevent their participation.
This type of action is a routine tactic employed by the Cuban regime: using arbitrary detentions, surveillance, and extrajudicial restrictions to hinder any interaction between independent civil society and foreign diplomatic representatives.
Constant Repression in a Country Lacking Freedoms
This episode once again underscores the absence of freedom of movement and basic safeguards for independent journalism in Cuba.
While the regime attempts to project an image of normalcy to the international community, it continues to employ its political police to isolate, intimidate, and penalize critical voices, even through impromptu operations in broad daylight.
Understanding Repression in Cuba
Why was Yoani Sánchez detained by State Security?
Yoani Sánchez was detained by State Security to prevent her from attending a diplomatic event organized by U.S. mission chief Mike Hammer in Havana.
How does the Cuban regime restrict independent journalists?
The Cuban regime restricts independent journalists through arbitrary detentions, constant surveillance, and extrajudicial movement restrictions to prevent them from engaging with foreign diplomats and sharing their perspectives.