Mike Hammer Engages with Cuban Youth Group 'Out of the Box' and Content Creator Anna Bensi

The head of the U.S. mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, recently engaged with members of the youth collective 'Out of the Box' Cuba and content creator Anna Bensi. This meeting was shared by the U.S. Embassy on their social media platforms, incorporating hashtags such as #FreeEl4Tico and #ConCubanosDeAPie.

The embassy characterized the gathering as follows: "Our diplomats, alongside Mike, met with young individuals who staunchly believe in their right to free expression, such as 'Out of the Box' Cuba and Anna Bensi, to better understand their aspirations for Cuba. It is the youth who will shape the future of the nation."

During this engagement, Hammer shared with the youth that he had recently been in Miami with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and had informed him about this meeting. "From Washington, I was with Secretary Rubio, and I told him about our planned meeting, so he sends his regards and encouragement," the diplomat mentioned.

Hammer further emphasized the U.S. commitment to the freedom of Cubans on the island: "The interest of the United States is for all Cubans, particularly the everyday citizens, to live here with peace and liberty." He concluded with a direct message: "Know that you always have friends at the U.S. Embassy, right here in Havana."

Origin and Challenges of 'Out of the Box' Cuba

'Out of the Box' Cuba originated in January 2026 in the Cerro municipality of Havana. It consists of Karel Daniel Hernández Bosques, Amanda Beatriz Andrés Navarro, Abel Alejandro Andrés Navarro, and Mauro Reigos Pérez, all in their twenties. The group utilizes art, theater, and social media videos to criticize the Cuban political system, often recognized by their red hats bearing the slogan "Make Cuba Great Again."

Since February 2026, state security has intensified its harassment against the group, involving home visits by undercover agents, threats to family members, phone disconnections by ETECSA, and WhatsApp account hacks. On April 25, the mother of one member was summoned and warned about potential imprisonment if the group continued to publish critical content.

Anna Bensi's Struggle and Advocacy

Anna Bensi (Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente), a 21-year-old resident of Alamar, Havana, was placed under house arrest with her mother on March 26, accused under Article 393 of the Cuban Penal Code for "acts against personal and family privacy, self-image, and voice," facing possible sentences of two to five years. Amnesty International documented her case in April, demanding an end to the repression.

Hammer had previously visited Bensi and her mother in Alamar on April 9 while they were under house arrest, labeling their sole "crime" as "defending their beliefs and faith." The activist herself had publicly declared, "They can imprison people, but not ideas."

Hashtags and Broader Diplomatic Efforts

The hashtag #FreeEl4Tico refers to Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, members of the audiovisual project El 4tico, who were detained in Holguín and charged with "incitement to commit a crime" and "propaganda against the constitutional order."

This policy of direct diplomacy with Cuban civil society aligns with Secretary Rubio's stance, which maintains a strategy of maximum pressure against the regime. As of 2026, Cuba reports one of the highest rates of political prisoners in the hemisphere, with hundreds incarcerated since the protests on July 11, 2021. Hammer had previously expressed his position in February to the Cuban diaspora in Madrid: "Change in Cuba is inevitable."