Renowned Cuban opposition leader Berta Soler, who founded the Ladies in White movement and was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize, attended Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of Santa Rita in Havana. She was accompanied by Mike Hammer, the head of the United States Embassy in Cuba.
Activist and former political prisoner Ángel Moya Acosta highlighted this event in a Facebook post, noting that Soler's participation was made possible despite a repressive operation by State Security around the Ladies in White headquarters in Lawton.
"The American diplomat arrived at the location and picked up Berta," Moya explained. "Upon their return from the mass, as they exited the diplomatic vehicle, a State Security agent, captured in the photo, began recording visual information using a video camera," he added.
Moya has condemned this persistent surveillance and harassment over the past decade, during which the regime has consistently obstructed the Ladies in White from exercising their religious freedoms. During this time, numerous women have faced repression for attempting to attend Mass, particularly at the Church of Santa Rita, a traditional Sunday gathering site for the opposition group.
The presence of the U.S. Embassy's chargé d'affaires at the religious event serves as a symbolic gesture of support for peaceful activism on the island, amidst ongoing harassment of dissenting voices. Mike Hammer, a diplomat with over 35 years of experience, took over as the head of the U.S. Embassy in Havana in November 2024, succeeding Benjamin G. Ziff.
Since his appointment, Hammer has engaged in meetings with opposition leaders, artists, and religious figures, striving to maintain open channels with various sectors of Cuban civil society. In December of last year, the U.S. Embassy marked Human Rights Day with a meeting between Hammer, Berta Soler, and fellow dissident Martha Beatriz Roque, who was honored with the 2024 Women of Courage award. On that occasion, the diplomatic mission posted on X (formerly Twitter): "In celebration of #HumanRightsDay, it was an honor to meet with Berta Soler of the Ladies in White and Martha Beatriz, awarded the #WomenOfCourage 2024 prize. The United States calls for greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Cuba."
Key Events Surrounding Berta Soler's Mass Attendance
Who accompanied Berta Soler to the Palm Sunday Mass?
Berta Soler was accompanied by Mike Hammer, the head of the United States Embassy in Cuba, during the Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of Santa Rita in Havana.
What was the response of the Cuban State Security during the event?
A State Security agent recorded the event using a video camera, continuing a pattern of surveillance and harassment faced by the Ladies in White over the past decade.
What significance does the presence of the U.S. Embassy's chargé d'affaires hold?
The attendance of the U.S. Embassy's chargé d'affaires symbolizes support for peaceful activism in Cuba amidst ongoing repression of dissenting voices.