Cuban activist Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente, widely recognized as "Anna Bensi," has released a powerful video on Facebook that has garnered over 152,000 views. In this video, she boldly condemns the Cuban regime's oppressive actions against political prisoners on the island.
At just 21 years old, Anna resides in Alamar, Havana, and asserts that the "Cuban dictatorship doesn't govern; it holds a nation hostage" and fears "something more dangerous than any weapon: the truth."
"More than a thousand Cubans are imprisoned—not for murder, theft, or terrorism, but for speaking out, for thinking differently, for saying this is wrong," Anna Bensi declares in her video, which has also received 16,949 likes and 1,200 comments.
The activist dismantles the regime's official narrative with a straightforward statement: "The dictatorship doesn't lock up criminals; it locks up examples. They need to instill fear so that no one else dares to speak."
This video emerges amid ongoing systematic harassment by Cuba's State Security against Anna and her mother, Caridad "Cary" Silvente, which has persisted since March of this year.
On March 10, both recorded and shared footage of an irregular subpoena delivered by MININT agents. Two days later, State Security interrogated Anna's mother for two hours.
On March 25, mother and daughter were charged as co-defendants under Article 393 of the Cuban Penal Code—related to "acts against personal and family privacy, one's own image, and voice"—facing potential sentences of two to five years in prison. They are now under house arrest with a travel ban imposed.
Between April 13 and 14, counterintelligence agents attempted to recruit Anna as an informant during an interrogation at the Alamar police station, even offering support for her musical career in exchange for silencing her activism.
The regime has also resorted to digital repression: on April 21, Anna Bensi reported a coordinated hack of her WhatsApp accounts and the simultaneous deactivation of her ETECSA lines, preventing access recovery through verification codes.
Despite these challenges, on May 6, she published a new video criticizing regime supporters, titled "Diary Reflections | Part 3: Humorless Clowns," in which she stated, "Communism works in two places: in books and in the bank accounts of those who run it."
Anna Bensi's case has attracted international attention. On April 9, Mike Hammer, head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba, visited Anna and her mother at their Alamar residence, stating, "What you say impacts and moves many people."
The context of this video's release is alarming: according to Prisoners Defenders, Cuba reached a record high of 1,260 political and conscience prisoners in April 2026, including 35 minors and 142 women.
Anna Bensi concluded her video with a statement that encapsulates her denunciation: "No system that needs to imprison the innocent to survive deserves to survive."
Understanding the Impact of Anna Bensi's Activism
Who is Anna Bensi?
Anna Bensi, whose real name is Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente, is a Cuban activist known for her outspoken criticism of the Cuban regime's oppression of political prisoners.
Why was Anna Bensi's video significant?
Her video gained significant traction with over 152,000 views, highlighting the regime's oppressive tactics against political dissent and garnering international attention.
What challenges has Anna Bensi faced?
Anna Bensi and her mother have faced systematic harassment, charges under the Cuban Penal Code, house arrest, and digital repression tactics like hacking and deactivation of communication lines.