The youth collective Out of the Box Cuba broke their silence this Friday after being detained for nearly 11 hours by Cuba's State Security, issuing a stern warning to the regime: "What happened yesterday is inhumane, but evil is not eternal. They will pay for this."
The repressive operation unfolded on Wednesday, July 2, when State Security agents simultaneously summoned four activists at 10:00 a.m. to different police stations in Havana. Activist David Espinosa, known as "DavidSiloetano," described it as a deliberate attempt to prevent their attendance at the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence at the residence of Chief of Mission Mike Hammer.
Amanda Beatriz Andrés Navarro ("Betty") and Abel Alejandro Andrés Navarro, siblings and members of Out of the Box Cuba, were taken to the PNR Unit in the 10 de Octubre municipality, Lawton. Meanwhile, activist Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente ("Anna Bensi") and evangelical pastor Rolando Pérez Lora ("Pregonero de Cristo") were summoned to the Alamar police station in Eastern Havana.
The detention stretched on for almost 11 hours, far exceeding the legal two-hour limit set by Cuban law for police interviews.
Espinosa did not mince words in describing the day: "Almost 11 hours of psychological torture! 11 hours!" He further explained, "They undoubtedly wanted to prevent us from attending the celebration at Mike Hammer's residence. What an outrage!"
This Friday, Out of the Box Cuba expressed gratitude for the support received and explained their delayed response due to lack of internet access: "We've received numerous messages of support and concern. Now we have a minimal connection to respond a little."
Outside the Alamar station, a solidarity group attempted to sing religious hymns but was stopped by the National Revolutionary Police on the grounds that it was a military zone.
Local residents showed their support by offering coffee, water, and bathroom access during the long wait.
Anna Bensi was released just after 8:56 p.m., weeping amidst applause from her supporters. The activist has been under house arrest since March 25, 2026, accused alongside her mother of "acts against personal privacy," facing sentences ranging from two to five years in prison.
The summonses also contained formal irregularities. Abel Andrés Navarro pointed out that the document was "poorly drafted, legally inappropriate" and that the date was mistakenly marked as "June 2" instead of July 2: "This only proves that the regime uses the law as decoration."
The U.S. Embassy in Havana publicly condemned the repression, with Hammer posing a question on X: "What do you think about state security threatening Cubans who attend or work at events, like the U.S. Independence Day celebration?"
Espinosa concluded his account with a reflection capturing the group's sentiment: "While Cuban Christians are free in Christ, we will never be physically free as long as we live under a dictatorship."
Key Issues Surrounding Out of the Box Cuba's Detainment
What was the purpose of detaining the Out of the Box Cuba activists?
The activists were likely detained to prevent them from attending the U.S. Independence Day celebration at the residence of Chief of Mission Mike Hammer, as suggested by activist David Espinosa.
How long were the activists held, and was it legal?
They were held for nearly 11 hours, which is illegal under Cuban law that sets a two-hour limit for police interviews.
What irregularities were found in the summons documents?
Abel Andrés Navarro noted that the summons was poorly drafted and legally inappropriate, with the wrong date marked as June 2 instead of July 2.