USA Proposes to Change Plan to Illegal Broadcast to Cuba

The duties of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), which manages the Radio and Television Marti services could be in hands of a private entity, U.S. government''s officials announced. Although they only talk about a proposal, some experts assume today that the measure is aimed at replacing the duties of the OCB and modify the illegal broadcasting policy to Cuba, maintained for more than 30 years with federal funding.

Media in southern Florida spread the announcement of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) that oversees several information services funded by the federal government, including the OCB, and the Voice of America (VOA).

According to the BBG statement, the U.S. government is proposing "to hire a private entity in Spanish language, fulfilling the duties of the office managing Radio and TV Marti."

The BBG did not give precise details of the proposal, but it is speculated that it could be the "first concrete and decisive step to dramatically modify broadcasting operation to Cuba" established under the administration of President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, to destabilize the Havana government.

BBG's executive director, John F. Lansing, responded at a phone interview to mass media, warning that "the change is mainly aimed at savings in operating costs and increasing the flexibility of the organization."

For more than 30 years, Cuba has denounced the subversive programming of those stations, financed by the U.S. government.