Francisco Rodríguez Cruz, widely recognized as "Paquito from Cuba," serves as the vice president of the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC) and is a journalist for the official newspaper Trabajadores. He recently shared a photo on Facebook in which he dons a curly black wig, blatantly mimicking the appearance of activist Anna Bensi.
The image was captioned with a provocative statement: "Just in case, I'm going to record everyone who comes to my house with my phone because the CIA is threatening to take my virginity..."
This post emerged on Sunday, merely four days after a Cuban court found Anna Bensi and her mother, Caridad Silvente, guilty of "acts against personal and family privacy," sentencing each to two years of restricted freedom.
The legal case originated in March 2026 when the mother-daughter duo recorded and shared on social media the visit of Yoel Leodán Rabaza Ramos, a sub-officer from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), to their home in Alamar, Havana.
Rather than safeguarding the women who unexpectedly faced a State Security agent, the regime prosecuted them for documenting the incident. Prior to the trial, both were under house arrest and prohibited from leaving the country.
The trial, overseen by Judge Zamira Marrero Morgado—who has been criticized by activists for her role in trials related to the July 11 protests of 2021—was held on October 1 after being postponed from September 17. The United States government condemned the verdict as "cowardly."
Mockery and Controversial Remarks
Rodríguez Cruz didn't stop at the wig photo. In the days leading up to it, he released two additional writings targeting the same subject: "As the great Julio César might say: ¡veni, visa, bensi!..." and "Another fake heroine with an expiration date of bensi-miento...," wordplays designed to mock the activist's stage name and portray her as a transient figure.
The sexual reference to "virginity threatened by the CIA" is no trivial matter: it trivializes the surveillance and reporting mechanism that cost a mother and her 21-year-old daughter their freedom.
Pattern of Disdain and Mockery
Rodríguez Cruz, who describes himself on his blog as "Martian and journalist; communist and gay," gleefully applauds the sentencing of two women persecuted by the totalitarian, predatory, and oppressive state he serves.
This incident is part of a documented pattern. In May 2026, while on an American Airlines flight to Miami, the UPEC vice president mocked Trump's threat to send an aircraft carrier to Cuba. In March 2025, he ridiculed the closure of Radio Martí and cuts to independent media. In July of the same year, he claimed on television that the Cuban economy was improving and inflation was decreasing.
Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente, known as Anna Bensi, is an influencer and activist associated with the youth collective "Fuera de la Caja Cuba," founded in January 2026 in Havana. The group uses social media to highlight issues like blackouts, shortages, and repression. Her case caught the attention of NBC Miami and sparked international outrage, receiving coverage from DW, El País, EFE, and Telemundo, among others.
The image of an official media figure dressed in a wig to mock a newly sentenced activist, making a sexual joke from a bus, harshly illustrates the moral character of the individual and the regime's contempt for those who dare to document their own terror.
Understanding the Implications of Mockery in Cuban Media
What prompted Francisco Rodríguez Cruz to mock Anna Bensi?
Rodríguez Cruz mocked Anna Bensi as a response to her activism and recent sentencing by a Cuban court for "acts against personal and family privacy," which involved documenting a visit from a state security agent.
What was the public reaction to the sentencing of Anna Bensi and her mother?
The sentencing of Anna Bensi and her mother was met with international condemnation, including criticism from the United States government, which described the verdict as a "cowardly" act by the Cuban regime.
What is the significance of the wig photo posted by Rodríguez Cruz?
The wig photo posted by Rodríguez Cruz serves as a symbol of mockery and disdain towards Anna Bensi, reflecting the regime's attitude towards those who challenge its authority and document its oppressive actions.