Camila Acosta Faces House Arrest: State Security Blocks Her Exit Without Warrant

Independent journalist Camila Acosta found herself unable to leave her home on Wednesday when a young State Security officer blocked her exit without showing any warrant or identification. This encounter, which Acosta recorded, was shared by Cubanet on its social media platforms.

The incident took place on October 28, a day marking the 67th anniversary of Camilo Cienfuegos' disappearance—a day filled with official events and pilgrimages to Havana's Malecón. The Cuban regime often employs pre-emptive repression during politically sensitive dates, stationing patrols outside the homes of journalists and activists to restrict their movement.

Video Reveals Heated Exchange

The video captures the officer demanding that Acosta stop recording: "Are you recording? I don't give you permission to record me. That's the first thing." In response, Acosta questions if they have the authority to park a patrol car in front of her house. The officer tersely replies, "Secondly: you cannot leave."

When Acosta presses for an explanation, the officer dismisses her with, "I have nothing more to say. This is the end." Acosta insists there is no documentation supporting the restriction: "And where is the order saying I can't leave my house? I have no mobility restriction order." She challenges him further: "And where is my right to movement? My right to free movement in my own country. And you, with the patrol here, can do as you please?"

Repeated Patterns of Restriction

This kind of restriction is familiar to Acosta. In May, police and State Security prevented her from attending a mass at Havana Cathedral—marking the third surveillance incident in a week. In June, she publicly exposed another officer monitoring her home, stating she had been under siege "about fifteen times" so far that year. In July, her house was surrounded during the anniversary of July 11th, and in September, she and her husband were detained to stop them from attending activist Anna Bensi's trial.

The restrictions also impact her husband, writer and Masonic leader Ángel Santiesteban-Prats, who has been facing legal proceedings since June for alleged illegal currency trafficking—an accusation involving the exchange of $300 intended for charitable works. The prosecution has demanded a two-year restriction of freedom and a fine of 20,000 Cuban pesos. Santiesteban was elected Sovereign Grand Commander of the 33rd Degree Supreme Council on September 26.

Public Outcry and Support

Following Wednesday's incident, Cubanet called on followers to help identify the officer, defending the practice by stating: "Exposing those who repress is legitimate because the public has the right to know who wields power and how it's used. When they threaten a journalist or block her from leaving home, they use state authority, and their actions are subject to public scrutiny."

As the correspondent for Spain's ABC newspaper in Cuba, Acosta has faced numerous documented assaults that independent organizations have recorded as at least five in 2024 and four in the early months of 2025, ranging from arbitrary detentions to travel bans and information blockades. In March, U.S. Chief of Mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, met with her, stating, "I am always impressed by the bravery of independent journalists in Cuba who strive to report the true reality on the island."