US-Cuba: Radio and TV Marti Off the Air
By Francisco Acevedo
HAVANA TIMES – This past week, the sudden shutdown of Radio and TV Martí broadcasts came as a surprise, a move that was widely celebrated by the Cuban government, even though it is not a permanent closure.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order cutting funding to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees both outlets. This implies a “technical shutdown” not only of Radio and TV Martí but also of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Radio Free Asia.
Several press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), criticized the measure.
Thibaut Bruttin, general director of RSF, called it “a measure that threatens press freedom around the world” and urged the US government and Congress to “immediately respect the autonomy” of both media outlets.
Similarly, the CPJ issued a statement calling on US congressional leaders to protect USAGM and labeled it “outrageous” that the White House would attempt to dismantle an agency that supports independent journalism challenging authoritarian regimes worldwide.
The IAPA also pointed out that these are media outlets that, for decades, “have been a fundamental pillar in delivering news and objective information to audiences in countries with authoritarian regimes.”
From Cuba, opposition leader Jose Daniel Ferrer addressed a message to President Trump, urging him to guarantee the continuity of Radio and TV Martí, which he considers essential in the fight for freedom and democracy in Cuba.
“Radio and TV Martí are a necessary and inseparable symbol of the cause in favor of freedom and democracy in Cuba. They transcend our geographic borders,” Ferrer wrote on X.
For its part, the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) expressed “deep dismay” at what it considers “abandoning the Cuban people in these circumstances.”
In a statement, the CANF asked Trump to “reconsider this decision,” arguing that both outlets are the essential voice of Cubans, both to denounce abuses by the Castro regime and to provide truthful information and empower the people in their fight for their rights.
Radio Martí was founded in 1983 and broadcast continuously from 1985 until this past March 17, driven by CANF’s founder and first president, Jorge Mas Canosa. TV Martí began broadcasting in 1990.
Likewise, the Council for Democratic Transition in Cuba expressed deep concern about the suspension of funding, warning that this measure represents a significant setback in the fight for freedom in Cuba and a direct benefit to the Cuban regime.
Following the announcement, employees were placed on administrative leave with pay but were not allowed to enter the facilities. The website remained operational, although there was a noticeable reduction in the volume of posts and in the use of images from news agencies due to the termination of contracts with Reuters, AP, and AFP.
Just three years ago, 10 US lawmakers requested that the Biden Administration increase the budget for Radio and TV Martí and other programs aimed at promoting democracy in Cuba. But Trump sees it as a burden on taxpayers.
According to published data, RadioTV Martí had around 100 workers, including federal employees and contractors. The 46 federal employees on payroll earned salaries over $100,000 annually.
The Office of Cuba Broadcasting had an annual budget of $12 million after recent cuts, whereas in the past it received over $20 million per year from Congress.
The signal from these media outlets has historically faced jamming from the Cuban government, making them practically nonexistent on the island, though they claim to have recently surpassed one million followers on Facebook and millions of views from Cuba across their social media platforms.
The shutdown of these platforms has sparked intense debate over their impact and effectiveness. While some defend their role in the fight against censorship by the Cuban regime, others criticize their limited reach.
Critics also argue that they are infiltrated by State Security (the Cuban government’s intelligence service) and that the significant state funding they receive contrasts with their poor communicational impact, especially compared to independent YouTubers.
The Cuban government, for its part, celebrated the move as an attack on what they called “dinosaurs of the US government’s subversive policy toward the island.”
The Energy Crisis and Renewables
But beyond that, few things went more viral this week than statements from Ramses Monte Calzadilla, director of policy and strategy at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, who boldly claimed that Cuba will soon rank among the top three countries in the world for renewable energy.
This comes after we were plunged into darkness once again by another nationwide blackout, the fourth in the last six months—due to the collapse of the National Electric System (SEN). Yet this man keeps dreaming.
“What our country is doing this year, the leap we’re going to take in renewable energy, will probably place us among the top three countries in the world in terms of how fast we are advancing toward the renewable energy transition—this year and next,” the man dared to say.
It would be laughable if it weren’t such a serious and sensitive issue for the Cuban people, who have been plagued by routine power outages for years.
I’ve addressed the topic before, and the costs of implementing such programs are extremely high, and in fact, they are already failing to meet goals.
So, it’s ridiculous that they keep trying to sell us on that idea, which may be viable in other countries, but requires an investment that Cuba simply cannot afford.
Every Cuban-American who voted for the dangerous fool Donald Trump shares responsibility for his insane decisions including shutdown of Martí and the other free radios. Trump and his enablers never found in these stations the fraud and espionage they claimed. Next time vote blue!