Mike Hammer Engages with Cuban Youth: "What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?"

On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Cuba, Mike Hammer, paid a visit to Puerto Padre in Las Tunas province. His trip was intended to include a meeting with opposition figure Vladimiro Martín Castellanos. However, Castellanos was detained by the Cuban State Security just before Hammer's arrival.

A video shared by the U.S. Embassy in Cuba (@usembcuba) captures the moment Hammer reached the house where the meeting was supposed to take place. In a candid exchange, Hammer speaks to a young boy who relays a message from his parents:

"They told me to tell you that he was detained."

Hammer, maintaining his composure despite the surprise, responds calmly:

"Ah, well... let him know we stopped by to say hello, to check on him, and that we're concerned. What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor, engineer, diplomat, president?"

The boy hesitates at the mention of "president," prompting a smile from Hammer. This brief, spontaneous moment epitomizes Hammer's approach to grassroots diplomacy, emphasizing direct engagement with ordinary Cubans despite the regime's intimidation tactics.

In a statement accompanying the video, Hammer condemned the arrests:

"I wanted to visit Vladimiro Martín, but he was detained shortly before we arrived at his home. At least he was released after we left. This happened to several others who wanted to speak with me. I will continue to visit wherever I'm invited."

The opposition figure was released hours later, as were other activists who had been watched or detained in Las Tunas.

The Broader Implications of Hammer's Visit

This incident occurred amidst a series of public protests against Hammer in various provinces, highlighting the stark contrast between the open message from the U.S. and the internal repression that seeks to stifle any free dialogue.

In Puerto Padre, the exchange between an ambassador and a child encapsulated a larger question: What does Cuba aspire to become?

Hammer's Innovative Diplomacy

Hammer's visit to Puerto Padre, where he attempted to meet with detained opposition members, is part of a broader strategy of "grassroots diplomacy" that he has pursued since taking on his role in Cuba. In recent months, Hammer has engaged directly and symbolically with Cubans, favoring personal interaction over formal protocol.

Last Sunday, in Camagüey, Hammer shared a video from the bell tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria on the city's patron saint's day, with a hopeful message: "Here the bells ring in Camagüey! How beautiful! What does it mean?"

Many interpreted the ringing as a metaphor for rebirth and faith amidst the political darkness, coinciding with a shift in the Cuban government’s rhetoric, which, for the first time, avoided mentioning the "blockade" and offered cooperation to Washington.

Back in May 2025, Hammer had already made headlines by joining a group of teenagers in Camagüey for a game of dominoes on the street. This scene quickly became emblematic of his "ground-level diplomacy" style, reminiscent of the "ping pong diplomacy" that once bridged U.S.-China relations in the 1970s.

Since then, his travels through the provinces, dialogues with dissidents, presence in Catholic churches, and interactions with everyday citizens have crafted an alternative narrative to the regime's official discourse.

While Havana seeks to project pragmatic and controlled openness, Hammer represents a humanized form of diplomacy, rooted in connection, listening, and closeness to the people. His question to a child in Las Tunas—"What do you want to be when you grow up?"—captures this ethos: an effort to engage with Cuba's future, even when the present tries to suppress it.