Propaganda in Cuba

The Cuban Revolution was not only fought by armed rebels on the battlefield but also through the propaganda campaigns designed and orchestrated by Fidel Castro and his rebel comrades. Propaganda in Cuba during the revolution included Castro's use of personal interviews with journalists, radio broadcasts and publicity seeking operations that contributed significantly to the victory of the rebels over Fulgencio Batista's government and provided insight into the successful propaganda campaign established by Castro after gaining power. Today the Cuban government maintains an intricate propaganda machine that includes a global news agency, magazines, newspapers, broadcasting facilities, publishing hoes
, front groups, and other miscellaneous organizations that all stem from the modest beginnings of Castro's revolutionary propaganda machine.
Revolutionary propaganda
Historical background
After Fulgencio Batista took over control of the armed forces and reestablished his power in Cuba in 1952, Fidel Castro began his battle for social justice. As a 25-year-old lawyer, he went to the Urgency Court and presented a brief outlining how Batista and his accomplices had violated six articles of the Code of Social Defense, and therefore would have to serve 106 years in prison. The articles spread the word that Castro's revolution was still very much alive, which was important since many people actually thought the commander had died already. Matthews deliberately chose words to create a positive impression of him to the American people, for example stating that Castro's program was "radical, democratic, and therefore anti-Communist."
Radio Rebelde
Radio Rebelde was part of the second phase of Castro's and the rebels' propaganda campaign. Che Guevara set up a shortwave radio in the Sierra Maestra headquarters. The shortwave bypassed eastern Cuba while reaching places like Venezuela. Soon countries such as Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina were involved in the retransmission of the rebels' message. He wrote the book Those Who Fight and Those Who Weep about his experience in Cuba and later returned to Cuba to head Castro's international press agency. In addition to interviews, the rebels undertook paramilitary operations designed to gain international attention and promote the ineffectiveness of Batista's security forces. Castro also wrote editorials on sensitive subject matter most often concerning the United States. The day-to-day components of the media empire were given to Antonio Perez Herrero, who became head of the Revolutionary Orientation Department which outlined ideological guidelines of the party and made sure they were followed. Along with the daily domestic distribution, Granma also publishes the Granma Weekly Review in English, French and Spanish for international distribution. The daily edition is only published in Spanish. Daily readers of Granma learned early on that the Castro regime supported the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and rebels fighting president Jose Napoleon Duarte in El Salvador.
Prensa Latina
One of the most important parts of the propaganda apparatus is Prensa Latina, which not only disseminates Castro's propaganda worldwide, but also works as a front for intelligence collection and operations. The idea for Prensa Latina was conceived in 1959 during Operation Truth when Fidel Castro gathered hundreds of journalists, mostly from Latin America, in Cuba to discuss what he called a conspiracy by European and American press. While condemning the Western press he told reporters, "The Latin American press ought to have the means that would permit it to know the truth and not be victim of the lie."Prensa Latina also publishes extensive material on economic matters.
International radio broadcast
Before Castro, Cuba had no international shortwave radio broadcast, but in 1961 Radio Havana was created. Radio Havana is broadcast in eight languages to countries in Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa and the Americas. The use of Radio Moscow's transmitters allowed broadcast programs to reach Europe and the Mediterranean. Radio Havana's shortwave broadcasts are supplemented by medium wave broadcasts from La Voz de Cuba. An English version called the Voice of Cuba transmits in medium wave to North America. The regime also has a history of supporting subversive broadcasting efforts. Some of the most important and influential in Latin America include assisting Salvadoran insurgents with Radio Venceremos and Radio Farabundo Marti.
Cuban Institute for Friendship Among People (ICAP)
The ICAP was established on December 30, 1960, to gain popular support in Europe and the United States in anticipation of a counterrevolutionary invasion by the United States. ICAP organized foreigners into associations based on their country of origin such as the Union of Peruvians in Cuba, the Cuban-Spanish Friendship Society, the Cuban-Venezuelan Institute of Revolutionary Solidarity and the Association of Guatemalans Residing in Cuba. The president of ICAP at the time, Rene Rodriguez Cruz, admitted that the friendship organizations sponsored by ICAP were used for Havana's propaganda purposes. About 113 friendship organizations existed globally at the time. Members of the organization would hand out pro-Castro pamphlets, participate in marches and demonstrations, and recruit foreign groups to come to Cuba. ICAP continues to host conferences and other events in Cuba catered to foreign delegations and Cuban solidarity networks.
Casa de las Américas
Casa de las Américas was established in April 1959 as a place where Castro could harness the propagandistic power of Latin American intellectuals. In 1960, it organized a literary contest that awarded prizes to Latin American poets, authors and playwrights. Also in 1960, it published a literary journal of the same name for poets and writers that provided a platform for political slant pieces. In addition to publishing winners of the literary contest, Casa published book-length material deemed important enough for widespread distribution. Perhaps the most important and influential piece published was Régis Debray's Revolution within the Revolution? in 1967. This book meant to complement Che Guevara's Bolivian uprising.
Performing arts
Any avenue of performing arts was used to portray Cuban society in a favorable way. The Cuban National Ballet headed by prima ballerina Alicia Alonso is the flagship example of the propaganda machine. Alonso and the Ballet performed in places like Hanoi and Moscow as well as the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. After retiring from ballet, Alonso became the director of choreography.
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