The youth collective known as Out of the Box Cuba released a video this Wednesday, criticizing Cuba's legal system for not safeguarding citizens' rights but rather suppressing them. Their message is encapsulated in a powerful statement: "Freedom is not begged for; it is defended."
The video opens with a provocative question: "We are told there are laws in Cuba. But did you know that the law itself might be the greatest enemy of your freedom?"
Referencing the ideas of 19th-century French economist Frédéric Bastiat and his essay The Law (1850), the young activists argue that the sole legitimate purpose of the law is to defend the three natural rights of individuals—life, liberty, and property—rights that exist before the state itself.
"These rights precede the state. Thus, no, the Constitution is not the source of rights. It merely acknowledges them," they assert in the video.
Challenging the Regime's Control
The collective goes further, directly accusing the regime: "When the state hijacks the law to act at its convenience, theft and censorship become legal."
"If they are a family, they use their law to take away the fruits of your labor, prohibit you from freely starting a business, and imprison you if you demand your rights. It's oppression masquerading as legality," they conclude.
The video surfaced just four days after State Security urgently summoned the mother of Karel Daniel, one of the group's founders, to a National Revolutionary Police unit in Havana.
Escalating Repression
Last Sunday, Karel Daniel Hernández Bosques himself reported in a video that State Security agents threatened the collective with imprisonment if they continued to publish, stating, "Here, it's illegal not to be a communist."
The repression against the group has intensified systematically since February 2026: agents visited family homes pretending to be friends, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) threatened Amanda Beatriz’s father at his workplace with imprisonment for the youth, ETECSA disabled all members’ phones, and in April, their WhatsApp accounts were simultaneously hacked.
Origins and International Support
Out of the Box Cuba was founded in early January 2026 in the Cerro municipality of Havana by four young people in their twenties: Karel Daniel Hernández Bosques, Amanda Beatriz Andrés Navarro, Abel Alejandro Andrés Navarro, and Mauro Reigos Pérez.
The group promotes libertarian thought through art, theater, and social media videos, and is easily recognized by their red caps emblazoned with the slogan "Make Cuba Great Again," which they also used as a hashtag in their recent video.
In February, Javier Milei shared one of their videos on his X account, amplifying their message globally. The collective responded with gratitude: "Thank you, Javier Milei, for inspiring our core ideals. Long live freedom!"
On the same day the video was released, Amnesty International documented cases of repression against the collective and demanded an end to the harassment. This took place in a context where human rights organizations recorded 231 repressive actions in February 2026 and 277 in March.
Legal Framework of Repression
The Cuban regime wields a legal arsenal to silence dissenting voices: Decree 370, Decree Law 35, and the Social Communication Law 162/2023 criminalize online expression, while Article 393 of the Penal Code prescribes prison terms of two to five years for activists.
Understanding Cuba's Repressive Legal System
What is the main critique of Cuban laws by Out of the Box Cuba?
Out of the Box Cuba criticizes Cuban laws for suppressing citizens' rights rather than protecting them, describing the legal system as a tool for state oppression.
Who are the founders of Out of the Box Cuba?
The group was founded by Karel Daniel Hernández Bosques, Amanda Beatriz Andrés Navarro, Abel Alejandro Andrés Navarro, and Mauro Reigos Pérez in January 2026 in Havana.
How has the Cuban regime reacted to Out of the Box Cuba's activities?
The regime has intensified repression against the group, including threats of imprisonment, disabling communication devices, and hacking social media accounts.