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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order this Friday to eliminate functions of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), a decision that affects Radio and Television Martí and Voice of America (VOA), media outlets under the supervision of USAGM.
The order from Trump requires that the Global Media Agency and other entities "reduce the performance of their non-essential functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law."
"The components and non-statutory functions of the following government entities will be eliminated to the fullest extent compatible with applicable law, and these entities will reduce the performance of their statutory functions and the personnel associated with the minimum presence and functions required by law," reads the order.
The measure requires the head of the agency to submit a report next week to declare which components or functions of the governmental entity "are required according to the statutes and to what extent."
On the morning of this Saturday, the workers from the affected media outlets, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, received an email informing them that they were placed on administrative leave with pay, but they must be available to work if instructed.
Kari Lake, chosen by Trump to lead VOA (an appointment that must be approved by the International Broadcasting Advisory Board), had warned on X: "If you are an agency employee, please check your email immediately for more information."
The email, sent by the USAGM, states that while the administrative leave is in effect, the employee will not be able to access any agency systems and must surrender their identification and any access codes in their possession.
"An unprecedented event in the history of international broadcasting. Not only the Voice of America, but also Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and Radio/TV Martí, either shutting down completely or ending in their current forms. And apparently, with immediate effect," wrote BBC journalist Chris Greenway on X.
The journalist Roberto Céspedes, who has worked at UASGM, confirmed that the employees of Radio y TV Martí (part of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which also oversees the medium Martí Noticias) had received the news of their "administrative dismissal."
In the notification, they are also prohibited from accessing the agency's facilities, by order of Donald Trump.
"The measure, which also affects other federal entities, anticipates a deep reduction or transformation of their functions," he clarified.
For its part, a reporter from New York Times stated, based on statements from two VOA employees, that all full-time staff were being laid off due to the executive order.
"Reporters from Voice of America have just been informed that they have been placed on administrative leave. Two people there told me that this affects all full-time employees. 'As far as we can tell, the VOA is effectively closed at this time', he stated."
The government efficiency team led by Elon Musk, known as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), had included a week ago the lease agreement for the headquarters of Radio y TV Martí in Miami among the supposedly "rescinded" agreements. The news comes just two months before the 40th anniversary of the launch of Radio Martí.
However, the USAGM, which oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, stated that no definitive decision had been made regarding this matter, creating uncertainty about the future of the broadcaster.
According to the portal of the Department of Government Efficiency, the cancellation of the lease contract for the Jorge Mas Canosa building, home of Radio y TV Martí, would represent a savings of 5.32 million dollars.
The executive order signed this Friday also includes the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, and the Minority Business Development Agency.
Frequently Asked Questions about the dismantling of "Radio Martí" and "Voice of America"
Why did Donald Trump order the shutdown of "Radio Martí" and "Voice of America"?
Donald Trump signed an executive order to eliminate functions of the Global Media Agency, affecting "Radio Martí" and "Voice of America", with the aim of reducing expenses and restructuring federal agencies to align their functions with the national interests of the U.S.
What impact will this decision have on the employees of these media outlets?
Workers have been placed on administrative leave with pay, but must be available to work if instructed. During this time, they will not have access to the agency's systems or be able to use their identifications.
What is Elon Musk's stance on U.S. government-funded media?
Elon Musk has argued that government-funded media is an inefficient use of public resources and can serve as tools of state propaganda, supporting the idea of its elimination to reduce public spending.
How does this measure affect independent media and NGOs in Cuba?
The measure jeopardizes the continuity of independent media and NGOs that relied on USAID funding to promote democracy and human rights in Cuba, restricting essential resources for their operation.
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