Cuban activist Anna Bensi reported on Monday that a police officer threatened to arrest her right at the stairwell of her building in Alamar, Havana. This incident occurred after she documented the police presence surrounding her home.
The officer allegedly stated, "Let her keep testing her strength, I'm really going to take her in," according to Bensi's account on her X profile early Monday morning.
This threat coincided with a police blockade reported by Bensi. She mentioned that patrols and undercover agents encircled her building to prevent her and her mother, Caridad Silvente, from attending a cultural event at the U.S. Embassy in Havana.
Responding with sarcasm, Bensi questioned the officer’s threat: "Was it just pretend at first, or what?" Her comment highlighted the looming possibility of arrest, an experience she has faced before.
The seriousness of this situation is compounded by Bensi’s current sentence. On October 1, 2026, the East Havana Municipal People's Court sentenced her and her mother to two years of restricted freedom under Article 393 of the Cuban Penal Code. This was due to their recording and sharing of a visit from a MININT agent to their home in March 2026.
The operation against Bensi included agents disguised as nurses, street vendors, and even a baker who, as Bensi noted, "didn't bring any bread."
Escalating Repression Against Activists and Journalists
Bensi's threat is part of a broader wave of repression affecting activists and journalists in early November. Yoani Sánchez was detained for nearly nine hours on November 5; Camila Acosta was handcuffed for more than eight hours on November 3, during which her phone was destroyed; and Anthony Martínez Román was held for over 20 hours before his release on November 7.
Independent content creators have also been targeted by the regime. Karel Daniel Hernández Bosques, associated with 'Fuera de la Caja Cuba,' was interrogated for 12 hours on November 6 in a Havana police station. Meanwhile, the founders of 'El4tico,' Kamil Zayas Pérez and Ernesto Ricardo Medina, have been imprisoned since February 2026 without trial, accused of "propaganda against the constitutional order" and "incitement to commit crimes," with potential sentences up to nine years.
The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights recorded 3,438 repressive actions in Cuba from January to October 2026, including 145 surveillance operations and home blockades. This November escalation is a continuation of a systematic pattern.
Following the October sentencing, the U.S. Embassy in Cuba issued a strong message: "Thinking differently is not a crime."
Understanding the Repression in Cuba
What led to Anna Bensi's current sentence?
Anna Bensi and her mother were sentenced for recording and disseminating footage of a MININT agent's visit to their home in March 2026, under Article 393 of the Cuban Penal Code.
How does the Cuban government target activists and journalists?
The Cuban government employs tactics such as detainment, surveillance, and intimidation to suppress activists and journalists, as seen in the cases of Yoani Sánchez, Camila Acosta, and others.