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Cubadebate, the main news portal of the regime, announced this Tuesday the opening of a call to hire two web journalist-editors, but the initiative immediately sparked a wave of criticism and mockery on social media.
In recent hours, dozens of users have questioned both the employment conditions and the media's ability to reflect the country's reality.
Under the slogan "Narrating Current Events from Cuba," the official media announced the opening of positions aimed at those who have a passion for digital journalism and wish to "tell the stories that define the current state of Cuba and the world."
The text emphasizes the pursuit of "talented, creative professionals who are committed to analyzing both national and international realities," capable of navigating the digital environment and proficient in social media.
“If you have a passion for journalism, expertise in web editing, and skills to communicate on social media, this could be your opportunity to join one of the most widely read multimedia outlets in the country,” states the announcement.
The requirements include a university degree - preferably in Journalism - writing skills, knowledge of current affairs, proficiency with digital tools, and residence in Havana.
A dossier with at least five published works is also requested.
In return, Cubadebate offers a salary of 5,060 Cuban pesos per month, plus a performance bonus, as well as "growth opportunities," a "dynamic and collaborative environment," flexible hours, remote work, and "quality internet connection."
The salary: The first trigger of criticism
The salary amount, equivalent to about 10 dollars per month in the informal market, was one of the first elements that sparked reactions.
For many users, the combination of high professional demands with such low pay was perplexing.
"How much do they pay per hour?" one commentator mocked, while others described the offer simply as "a joke."
But beyond the salary, the debate quickly shifted to a more sensitive topic: the real possibility of practicing journalism within a Cuban state media outlet.
"To narrate reality"... in question
The central phrase of the call – “narrate the current events” and “tell the stories that shape the reality of Cuba” – was the most debated.
"Yes, perhaps it's possible to narrate international reality; but national reality? Really? What a good joke," wrote a user.
Another comment pointed out more harshly: "If they narrate reality, they will become potential prisoners of conscience. Unless it is to narrate the virtual or imaginary reality of power."
The distrust repeated itself time and time again. “Are they going to tell the true reality of the Cuban people?? I doubt it,” commented another person.
There were even those who summed up the perception with a brief phrase: “Distorting the reality of Cuba.”
Between irony and outright rejection
The tone of the responses ranged from biting sarcasm to outright rejection of the official media model.
"Two simple requirements: 1- Don't think 2- post what you're told", wrote a user.
Another comment was even more direct: "You are not looking for journalists. You are looking for parrots that repeat what you tell them to say."
In the same vein, someone reinterpreted the language of the announcement: "Where it says 'digital journalism,' read partisan propaganda, and where it says 'telling the stories that shape the current events in Cuba,' read repeating the absurdities of the leaders."
Meanwhile, another question summarized the underlying criticism: "Journalism or servile subservience?"
A satirical letter that summarizes the sentiment
Among the dozens of reactions, one stood out for its eloquence and tone: a fictional application letter that went viral.
"I have read with enthusiasm your call for journalists who wish to 'tell the stories that shape the current events in Cuba.' I would like to apply, although I fear that perhaps my profile exceeds what you understand by 'current events,'" the text begins.
The author introduces himself as a "street journalist" and describes a daily reality marked by shortages: "I am a street journalist: from those streets with blackouts, lines, and private taxis that charge in foreign currency."
It also implicitly questions censorship: “My journalistic calling is to narrate what happens when the official cameras are turned off.”
And it concludes with a signature that sums up the disillusionment: “A Cuban journalist without editorial permission (but with intermittent internet).”
"The reality is in the comments."
Beyond the criticism of the medium, several users agreed that the narrative of Cuban reality already exists, but outside of official channels.
"Every day right here, the reality of Cuba is discussed; read the comments," noted an internet user.
Another opinion was more emphatic: “The narrative of the national situation is in the comments; it doesn’t need a journalist.”
They even proposed alternatives: “More than two journalists should issue a call for every ordinary Cuban to share their reality.”
Questions about editorial freedom
The issue of censorship surfaced consistently in the responses. Many users questioned whether future journalists would be able to operate independently.
"And above all, they must be disciplined and know how to follow orders; they cannot be writing about the entire reality of the country, only what is permitted and approved by the higher authorities"; "The problem is that they won't allow the true reality of Cuba to be published... they will censor everything"; "If you tell the truth, you’ll be imprisoned"; "I don't know if this is being shameless or desperate, or both," were some of the comments.
Some comments interpreted the call as a sign of difficulties within the state media apparatus itself.
“They are running out of propagandists”; “In Cuba… it is almost impossible to be a journalist; “The lingering doubt is: Is it about narrating reality or reading the script?” questioned others.
The debate generated by the announcement went beyond the job call to become a broader discussion about the role of journalism in Cuba.
Meanwhile, another comment appealed to the essence of the profession: "The role of a journalist is not to say that 'it is raining.' The role of a journalist is to 'open the window and check it.'"
The call will be open until May 1st.
However, the flood of criticism suggests that the main obstacle will not be finding candidates with technical skills, but rather convincing an increasingly skeptical audience that it is possible to practice journalism in that space that truly reflects the everyday life of the country.
Censorship and information repression on the rise in Cuba
The context in which this offer appears is revealing. Cuba ranks 165th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, making it the worst country in Latin America in this regard.
The Cuban Constitution establishes that all media belong to the State, which makes any independent journalistic activity clandestine. The 2024 Social Communication Law further reinforced that control.
Repression against those who dare to report outside the official apparatus continues unabated. The Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and the Press recorded 128 attacks on the press just in February 2026, representing a 172.3% increase compared to the same month the previous year. Among these attacks were forty arbitrary detentions, 52 psychological attacks or threats, 25 abusive uses of state power, and four physical assaults.
Meanwhile, Cubadebate does not limit itself to publishing propaganda: it has also actively participated in defamation campaigns against independent media.
In November 2025, he published an article titled "X-Ray of the Far-Right Accounts Operating Against Cuba on X," in which he identified journalists and activists as part of an alleged "cognitive war."
While the regime suffocates the free press and forces dozens of independent journalists into exile, its media apparatus recruits new personnel with a salary offer that, according to its own readers, is barely enough to cover the cost of lunch in any Latin American capital.
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