Cuban State Security summons Dagoberto Valdés to warn him that this is a response to Mike Hammer’s “actions.”
14ymedio, Havana, 23 June 2025 — Cuban State Security harassed the two main members of the Center for Coexistence Studies, Dagoberto Valdés and Yoandy Izquierdo, on Monday, interrogating them for an hour and a half at the Immigration and Foreigners Office in Pinar del Río. In a statement released on its social media, the organization indicated that the purpose of the “meeting” was the pair’s recent trip to the United States last month to participate in the Study Meeting of the Itinerary of Thought and Proposals for Cuba at Florida International University (FIU).
Regarding this annual meeting, the text indicates, “Major Ernesto” asked them about “the number of participants, the atmosphere of the meeting, their opinions on the quality, and their evaluation of the event.” He also inquired about “other public events” they had held in Florida, aside from their personal ones.
The agent then told them that “although it was not the purpose of this meeting, it conveyed a higher-up decision”: due to the “actions” of the head of the US mission in Cuba, Mike Hammer, and the “international situation,” “people from the provinces” will not be allowed to attend the reception held every year at the US ambassador’s residence to celebrate the 4th of July, the country’s Independence Day, which will be held on the 2nd.
The agent told them that “although it was not the purpose of this meeting, it conveyed a higher-level decision.”
The “major” referred to Hammer’s travels throughout the island and, specifically, to his visits to opponents and activists, whom the agent referred to as “counterrevolutionary elements.” He also claimed that he communicated this “to avoid actions on the road like those that occurred with both members of Convivencia on the eve of May Day of the previous year, when they were returning from a Church event.”
“Not only does the harassment of Coexistence continue, but they also regulate freedom of movement,” the Center denounces in its statement.
This is not the first time that, on the occasion of the 4th of July the political police have coerced members of the group to prevent them from reaching the reception in Havana. However, it is unprecedented that they associate the warning with the actions of the US Chief of Mission, attempting to discredit them by calling them “interventionist,” “provocative,” and “irresponsible” behavior.
The “discomfort” that Hammer has caused in the regime is thus once again confirmed. On June 18, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío , when asked by the Spanish news agency Efe if he would declare the diplomat persona non grata , said: “We are not going to rule out any action to the extent that we think what he is doing is dangerous—if we reach that conclusion, which we have not reached—and to the extent that we pay close attention to what he is doing.”
Despite the campaign against him, the head of the US mission remains committed to his work. This Monday, he met with the executive director of Caritas Cuba, Carmen María Nodal Martínez. In a brief social media post, the Embassy reported that “they spoke about the tremendous work Caritas does across the island to help the most needy and vulnerable Cubans.” And on Saturday, he visited the Santa Susana Convent in Bejucal, Mayabeque, “to observe how the nuns support and feed the neediest.”
There have been consequences, however—although the regime has not linked them to Hammer’s visits at any point—for some of the activists who met with the diplomat. Three of them have so far returned to prison after being released: Donaida Pérez Paseiro, José Daniel Ferrer, and Félix Navarro.
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
