Cuban Regime Decries Return of Funding to Independent Media

On Tuesday, Cuba's Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, responded with clear irritation to the U.S. State Department's announcement about resuming funding for projects supporting Cuban civil society and independent media, labeling them as "subversive programs." "As expected, the U.S. Secretary of State reinstates government funding for subversive programs against #Cuba by organizations claiming to be independent, which for years have profited from anti-Cuban mercenarism," Rodríguez Parrilla expressed on his X account (previously Twitter), highlighting the regime's discomfort with the renewed international support for critical voices on the island.

This statement comes weeks after the U.S. government, during the administration of Donald Trump and with Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, ordered the shutdown of USAID and abruptly froze funds meant for promoting human rights, freedom of expression, and democracy in authoritarian countries, including Cuba. At that time, Cuban authorities welcomed the decision. Senior officials and regime spokespeople mocked the affected media, claiming the "imperial money faucet" had been permanently turned off.

Among them was the Vice President of the UPEC, Francisco Rodríguez Cruz, known as "Paquito de Cuba," who posted ironic messages on social media about the crisis of outlets like Radio Martí, including a photo pretending to search for a signal with a portable radio and another insinuating that the cuts would increase unemployment among "the counter-revolution."

Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, a former spy from the Red Avispa and current national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), also celebrated the closure of Radio and TV Martí. With a sarcastic tone, he stated on Facebook that "mercenary media have lived off tales for too long."

The partial restoration of funds represents a symbolic blow to that narrative. The State Department justified the decision as part of its commitment to promoting human rights and strengthening civil society in repressive contexts like Cuba's.

Entities such as Cubanet, El Toque, and Cubalex are among the beneficiaries who received official notice about the reactivation of suspended contracts. In response, other official Cuban voices also raised objections. Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, questioned the legitimacy of U.S.-backed projects, suggesting that opponents receiving U.S. funding cannot be considered independent.

Joining this reaction was Johana Ruth Tablada de la Torre, Deputy Director General of the U.S. in MINREX, who, during a televised meeting with Díaz-Canel and Gerardo Hernández, denounced Washington's hypocrisy for financing what she called “a subversive machinery” against Cuba while simultaneously "boasting about defending democracy."

In contrast to the regime's criticisms, several Cuban journalists and activists viewed the funding restoration as an opportunity to continue their work defending human rights and press freedom. "We are not mercenaries. We are Cubans committed to reporting what the power tries to hide," said a reporter from Havana under anonymity.

According to El Nuevo Herald, the restoration is not complete: at least 83% of the programs managed by USAID have been eliminated, and most major U.S. organizations promoting democracy in the region have lost dozens of projects. However, the partial unblocking of funds for Cuba stands out as a notable exception.

Amid this uncertainty, Havana's outraged reaction exposes the regime's real concern: the fear of losing its monopoly on information and the resurgence of independent voices with international support. While the official apparatus ridicules, criminalizes, and discredits, free journalism continues to persevere, now with renewed momentum to keep narrating Cuba's reality beyond state control.