These events reveal a persistent pattern of harassment by the State.
Miami (March 11, 2026) — The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) condemns a new wave of repression in recent days against independent journalists in Cuba. It is the second series of incidents documented by the organization since late January, amid a context marked by the growing deterioration of the island’s economic and social situation and an increase in public expressions of discontent.
These events reveal a persistent pattern of harassment by the State against those who exercise the right to inform and express themselves freely.
Among the most recent incidents is the detention of independent journalist Yunia Figueredo on March 10 after she participated in a citizen protest known as a “cacerolazo,” according to Diario de Cuba. That same day, journalist Yania Suárez was also arrested, although her legal status and the charges against her have not yet been clarified by authorities.
Journalist Camila Acosta reported on March 9 that State Security agents reinstalled a police cordon outside her home in Havana to prevent her from leaving. This practice of constant surveillance and restriction of movement has been applied against the reporter on several occasions.
Journalist Vladimir Turró was also physically assaulted on March 7 by a government official while documenting alleged acts of corruption related to public services. According to reports, the aggressor also destroyed his cellphone while the journalist was carrying out his reporting work.
The IAPA also expressed concern over pressure directed at relatives of digital content creators critical of the government. In recent days, State Security agents summoned the mother and a close friend of YouTuber Anna Bensi for questioning, while the father of Amanda Andrés Navarro, a member of the digital project Fuera de la Caja, reported receiving visits from police accompanied by warnings and threats.
These incidents add to recent reports of intimidating messages sent from unknown numbers to journalist Alejandra García of the independent outlet La Hora de Cuba. Such threats have previously preceded arbitrary detentions of journalists.
“The repetition of arrests, police cordons, physical assaults, and threats demonstrate the systematic use of the state apparatus to intimidate and silence independent journalists and communicators,” said IAPA President Pierre Manigault of Evening Post Publishing Inc., in Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
For her part, the chair of the IAPA’s Press Freedom and Information Committee, Martha Ramos of Organización Editorial Mexicana (OEM), said that “the persecution extends not only to those who report the news, but also to their relatives and associates, in a strategy aimed at generating fear and fostering self-censorship.”
The Chapultepec Index of Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression, whose 2025 edition was released yesterday by the IAPA, classifies Cuba as a country of High Restriction, noting that it “has normalized adverse conditions for freedom of expression, refining the restrictive environment to the point of nearly preventing public protest. Although such expressions persist, they face new obstacles due to prior repression within an institutional framework of control.”
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.