Cuban activist Anna Sofía Benítez Silvente, popularly known as Anna Bensi on social media, endured almost 12 hours at the Alamar police station on Wednesday. In a Facebook video, she detailed the threats she faced: an officer warned her that her videos allegedly incited public disorder, and if such claims were proven, she might end up in jail.
Arriving at the station at 10 AM, Bensi wasn't released until 9 PM, struggling with a headache and having gone the entire day without proper nourishment. The 21-year-old, who suffers from anemia, returned home during a blackout.
According to her account, she spent the initial four hours unattended, seated in the station’s main area. Subsequently, she underwent an interrogation by a man and a woman, though she couldn’t specify its duration. “The interrogation was the usual spiel—about the embargo, the sanctions on Cuba, and urging me to change my video content,” she recounted.
Around 8 PM, she was taken to the "desk" area and forced to sign a document labeled "prophylactic work," a formal caution under Article 268 of the Penal Code, which penalizes incitement to public disorder. When she requested a copy of the document, it was denied. “They told me it wasn’t necessary,” she reported.
In her written statement to the officers, Bensi declared, “I, Ana Sofía Benítez Silvente, have never incited disorder in any of my videos and will not do so.” On camera, she was more forthright: “I simply express myself, and those who relate to it, well, good for them.”
A video captured her leaving the station in tears, which she explained: “I want to clarify that those were tears of frustration.” She concluded her message with a strong statement: “Every day I’m more convinced that I live under a dictatorship. Freedom for Cuba.”
Bensi’s detainment wasn't an isolated incident. On the same day, other content creators critical of the regime were summoned and detained at various Havana police stations. Evangelical pastor Rolando Pérez Lora, known as "Pregonero de Cristo," was also taken to the Alamar station, while siblings Amanda Beatriz and Abel Alejandro Andrés Navarro from the "Fuera de la Caja Cuba" collective were held at the Aguilera street station in the 10th of October municipality.
The U.S. Embassy in Havana publicly condemned the repression that day, amid the #Freedom250 campaign for American Independence Day.
Bensi's history of facing pressure dates back months. Since March 25, 2026, she and her mother have been under house arrest, accused of "acts against personal and family privacy" for recording and sharing a video showing a Ministry of Interior officer delivering an irregular summons. Both face two to five years in prison and are barred from leaving the country. The organization Cubalex has argued that filming police is a constitutional right.
On Friday, after uploading her video from the previous evening when she had no internet, Bensi thanked her supporters: “Once again, thank you for shedding light on the injustices that happened yesterday with Pregonero, Fuera de la Caja, and me. Freedom.” As of this report, Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora remained detained.
Understanding the Impact of Police Repression in Cuba
What are the legal consequences Anna Bensi faces?
Anna Bensi could face imprisonment if her videos are deemed to incite public disorder, as warned under Article 268 of the Cuban Penal Code. Additionally, she and her mother are currently under house arrest for alleged privacy violations.
Why were other activists detained on the same day?
On the same day as Bensi's detention, other activists critical of the Cuban regime, including Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora and the Navarro siblings, were also detained. This suggests a coordinated effort by authorities to suppress dissenting voices.
How has the international community responded?
The international community, including the U.S. Embassy in Havana, has condemned the Cuban government's actions, highlighting the repression as part of broader concerns about human rights and freedom of expression in Cuba.