As a symbol of resistance, Radio and TV Martí should be spared from DOGE | Opinion

For Miami’s historic Cuban exile community, the apparent dismantling of Radio and TV Martí ordered by the Trump administration this week signals more than just the end of the U.S.-funded, pro-democracy radio transmissions to the island.

The station’s fate remains uncertain, a victim of DOGE. There is hope it will be revived and funding restored to its parent department, U.S. Agency for Global Media, as happened Wednesday to Cubanet, the oldest independent Cuba news outlet based in Miami, originally cut by the administration.

But for now, the 40-year-old radio station is not transmitting live, its Doral-based staff sent home. That’s a shame for the Cuban people on the island who rely on the station’s programming, even if it’s never been clear how many are listening.

Some may not be aware that Radio and TV Martí also represent one of the most significant political achievements of Cuban exiles in Miami: the successful lobbying of an American president, Ronald Reagan, to sign the Radio Broadcasting to Cuba Act on Oct. 11, 1983, establishing the station created to break Fidel Castro’s monopoly on news and information.

The roots of that success began in Miami. Just five months earlier, on May 20, 1983 — Cuban Independence Day — Reagan had famously visited a Little Havana restaurant, the long-closed La Esquina de Tejas, at the invitation of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF). At the time, CANF’s leader, Jorge Mas Canosa, was pushing for a Voice of America-style effort dedicated to Cuba; he persuaded Reagan, marking the highlight of a political alliance between Cuban exiles, Reagan and the Republican Party, based on their shared strong anti-communist stance. Remnants of that tie exist today.

When the bill that created Radio Martí was signed by Reagan, he declared, “For the first time in the 25 years of communist domination of Cuba, the Cuban people will be able to hear the truth and to hear it in detail, about Cuban domestic and foreign policy.”

Radio Martí was more than just a station; it was a symbol of resistance against Cuba’s dictatorship. It connected the exile community to their homeland, broadcasting reports on political repression, economic struggles and human rights abuses that would have otherwise been censored inside Cuba.

The Cuban government responded with outrage. Fidel Castro himself denounced Radio Martí and the use of the name of Cuban patriot, José Martí. The Cuban regime retaliated by broadcasting powerful interference signals to jam the station, severely limiting its reach.

Radio Martí persisted, offering an alternative to state-controlled news with varying levels of effectiveness. At its peak, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which oversaw Radio and TV Martí, received over $20 million annually from the U.S. government. But in recent years, the station’s influence has waned.

Several factors contributed to its decline. The Cuban government’s aggressive jamming efforts were a persistent challenge. TV Martí, in particular, never overcame these obstacles and struggled to reach Cuban viewers. And growing congressional scrutiny over the station’s budget and journalistic integrity further weakened its standing.

The most significant blow came with the arrival of the internet and mobile phones in Cuba, which fundamentally changed how Cubans accessed information. Radio Martí lost its status as the primary alternative to state media as Cubans increasingly turned to social media and VPNs to connect with the outside world.

Even so, the Trump administration’s decision to silence Radio and TV Martí, losing yet another voice of free speech, is deeply concerning..

If Radio and TV Martí were to shut down permanently, it would mark the final chapter of a decades-long battle over information and influence in Cuba. Reagan’s vision of a free flow of news into the island never achieved its ultimate goal of toppling the Castro regime. But for generations of Cubans, the station provided access to an alternative narrative, amplified dissident voices and exposed truths that the Cuban government sought to suppress.

Its legacy is one of defiance, perseverance and the belief that information — however imperfectly delivered — remains a powerful weapon against tyranny.

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This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM.