Journalist Silences Himself on Air During Cienfuegos Media Debate

In a televised discussion on the role of the media in Cienfuegos, the reality that many acknowledge but few openly discuss came to light: journalists themselves admit that censorship and fear of repercussions heavily influence their work. During the Impacto program aired on Thursday by Perlavisión, local reporters examined how far the media still has to go to meet the expectations of their audience.

Amid the conversation, journalist Boris Luis García Cuartero candidly acknowledged that Cuban media operates under a cloud of self-censorship and fear of reprisals. He noted that while some responsibility lies with journalists for becoming "complacent," there exists a constant "watchdog" that forces them to weigh every word carefully. "When you say and don't say what you should, there could be consequences," he admitted, highlighting how fear hampers the clarity of messages.

The exchange reached a turning point when fellow journalist Jorge Domínguez Morado from Radio Ciudad del Mar questioned García live on what he meant by "not saying what one should." García hesitated and eventually backtracked on air. "You understood me," he replied, avoiding further elaboration to sidestep escalating the issue, thereby confirming the relentless pressure official media faces.

The Struggle for Journalistic Freedom

"We face walls in the press... you've likely heard many times: 'be careful what you publish,' 'watch the angle,' as if we're third graders," García asserted. He further commented on the lack of confidence in journalists' abilities or the need to protect certain positions and interpretations, which muddles the message. "These are very challenging times, and we have countless examples of how much people need information and, regrettably, aren't getting it," he added.

Instead of fostering a genuine dialogue about press freedom, the program reflected the ongoing situation across Cuba: journalists are closely monitored, constrained, and treated "like third graders," forced to prioritize allowable narratives over the public's demand for information.

Government Control vs. Independent Media

On March 14, President Miguel Díaz-Canel proclaimed that the revolutionary press in Cuba is "independent and free." This statement, made on the occasion of Cuba's Press Day, was perceived by many as cynical given the island's pervasive censorship and state control over media outlets.

Journalists within official media face a stringent editorial line imposed by the Ideological Department of the Communist Party's Central Committee. Deviating from this line can lead to severe reprisals, censorship, and harassment by State Security.

Furthermore, on May 28, Resolution 9/2025 took effect, aiming to "organize" national publication registries, but effectively granting authorities the power to suspend or shut down websites and media that contradict "socialist principles" without notice. The regulation also enforces harsher penalties for publishing after a cancellation, mandates hosting providers to work only with officially registered sites, and demands control over funding sources, directly excluding independent media.

International organizations have repeatedly condemned the lack of press freedom in Cuba. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) rank the country as one of the most repressive regarding information, where the government monopolizes news dissemination and criminalizes independent journalism.

Recently, the vice president of the Cuban Journalists Union (UPEC), Francisco Rodríguez Cruz, defended the supposed "independence" of state media. He claimed that the island's press does not serve the political or economic interests of any faction but is solely committed to "the people, its citizens."

Nevertheless, while the official narrative strives to project an image of transparency, the reality of journalism in Cuba tells a different story. In April, Orlando Cruzata, director of the Lucas Awards, admitted to deploying censorship as part of a "cultural policy" to prevent negative commentary about the "revolution." "Of course, we won't allow anyone to speak ill of the revolution on television; it's part of our cultural policy, just as we don't denigrate women, homosexuals, or anyone with different religious inclinations," he stated in an interview with the official site Cubadebate.