U.S. Embassy in Havana Responds to Threats Against Activists
The U.S. Embassy in Havana reported on Thursday that the Castro regime has issued threats against local activists and dissidents, effectively blocking their participation in the embassy’s celebrations for the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence.
“What do you think about the challenges Cubans face when they volunteer at events like these? It seems the regime is actively stopping them from engaging in ‘Freedom 250’ events. Why is their participation such a threat?” the U.S. Embassy posed on social media.
Along with this post, the embassy shared messages and images from Cuban activists who spoke out against the regime. Yoani Sánchez, a prominent dissident journalist, relayed that agents from Cuba’s political police were stationed outside her apartment complex, preventing her and others from leaving.
The embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Mike Hammer, hosted an event to honor the anniversary, which has been heavily promoted as part of a broader initiative by the U.S. government. This is part of an ongoing campaign to recognize significant milestones in U.S. history.
Each year, the Cuban regime has gone to great lengths to deter activists from attending U.S. Independence Day events, especially now that it’s a major anniversary.
Rosa Rodriguez, an activist associated with the Christian Liberation Movement, noted that she faced intimidation from state security officials who barred her from leaving her home to attend the embassy celebration. She recounted the threats she received from agents warning of severe consequences if she tried to leave.
“It feels like I am being confined by national security in my own home, in my own country,” she stated. “And they claim there’s no dictatorship here.”
Another dissident, Mario Alberto Hernández Leyva, mentioned that he was summoned by regime officials after he received invites to embassy events. Many other activists have reported similar experiences of harassment and intimidation, effectively isolating them from participation in U.S. celebrations.
Camila Acosta, a journalist, characterized the increasing aggression she faced from political police as unprecedented. She described how officers were keeping a close watch on her location.
“This situation illustrates Cuba’s dysfunction. Instead of driving reforms that can unlock potential, they seem preoccupied with suppressing participation in Independence Day celebrations. What’s next, banning Christmas again?” asked a U.S. State Department official on social media.
Despite the regime’s efforts, some activists managed to send video messages to the embassy detailing their circumstances, which the embassy subsequently compiled and shared online.
Cuban activist Anna Sofia Benitez stated in her video, “I am against communism and the communist dictatorship.”
A similar scenario unfolded in 2025, when the regime ramped up efforts to undermine the attendance of Cuban activists at U.S. embassy celebrations. Even Mike Hammer has faced harassment from Cuban officials on several occasions.
Fluent in Spanish, Hammer will officially take on the role of Chief of Mission at the embassy in late 2024. He has made it a priority to engage with everyday Cubans, and his outreach has reportedly drawn a warm response, much to the regime’s chagrin.
As part of the Freedom 250 Initiative, the U.S. Embassy called on Cubans to contribute 30-second videos expressing their thoughts on freedom and the historical ties between Cuba and the United States. These messages are set to be shared publicly on July 4, 2026.
