Related videos:
The closure of Radio y Televisión Martí, along with the elimination of funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated to Cuban civil society, has generated a strong wave of reactions among exiles, activists, and independent journalists.
Among the most emphatic statements is that of Cuban pastor and activist Ignacio Estrada, who, in a post on , denounced the "complicit silence" of those who benefited from these initiatives in the past and now prefer to remain silent or even applaud the measures that have put an end to these programs.
Estrada, in a message titled "The Silence That Decays Us: A Cry I Will Not Silence", made a vigorous appeal to the exile community, urging them not to forget the crucial role played by institutions such as USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the Pan American Foundation for Development (FUPAD) in the formation and support of the Cuban dissent.
According to the activist, these organizations not only provided funding but also supported many dissidents, journalists, and civil society leaders who, at that time, managed to amplify their voices through Radio Martí.
"There are silences that stink. They reek of betrayal, of double standards, of a selfishness that eats us away," Estrada wrote. "They gave us cameras, microphones, training. They made us journalists, leaders, voices. But they were not just resources: they were people. Heroes who challenged the political police, who crossed monitored streets to bring us help to our doorstep. I embraced them, cried over them. They risked their lives for us."
The disappearance of these programs has been met with outrage from various sectors of the Cuban exile community and the independent press. For many, like the opposition figure José Daniel Ferrer, Radio Martí represented one of the few media outlets capable of delivering uncensored information to the island, countering the narrative of the Cuban regime.
USAID, for its part, funded training and assistance projects for activists, strengthening civil society within Cuba.
Various reports indicate that the closure of these programs is due to the new strategy of the Donald Trump administration, which has decided to cut funding to USAID and close Radio Martí, citing alleged issues of transparency and efficiency in the use of these resources.
This decision has affected numerous journalists and workers from these institutions, many of whom have become unemployed after years of service in the fight for press freedom and human rights in Cuba.
Pastor Estrada not only denounced the indifference of those who benefited from these programs at the time, but he also questioned the unconditional support that some exiles have shown towards Trump's decisions, despite the serious consequences these have had for activists on the island.
"Think of the independent press without tools, of the activists who stayed behind, fighting with their bare hands, of the civil society that is bleeding. They deserve what we had," he stated.
The closure of Radio Martí has been particularly controversial, as the station was one of the few sources of alternative information for Cubans on the island, who rely on such media to understand the reality beyond state propaganda.
Organizations such as the Cuban American National Foundation (FNCA) have warned about the repercussions of this measure, noting that it represents a blow to dissent and a free press.
Since its establishment in 1985, Radio Martí has become a key platform for giving voice to dissidents, activists, and independent journalists. Its closure leaves a difficult void to fill in the fight against censorship in Cuba.
Now, with the elimination of USAID funding and the dismantling of other programs supporting civil society, an uncertain outlook unfolds for those who continue to resist within the island.
Estrada concluded his message with a call to action: "Raise your voice with me. Let our freedom not be a selfish privilege, but a bridge for those who still bleed under the boot. If we remain silent, we betray ourselves; if we act, we honor our blood debt."
The controversy continues to grow as the Cuban exile community and political actors in Washington debate the future of support for Cuban civil society. Meanwhile, on the island, opponents are facing a new stage of uncertainty without the resources and backing that these institutions previously provided.
Filed under:
