Representative María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), along with Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-25), Carlos Giménez (FL-26), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Albio Sires (NJ-08), and Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL), sent a letter to the directors of the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), requesting an explanation for the announced staff cuts at Radio and Televisión Martí. 

In the letter, the legislators highlighted the importance of the role that this media outlet plays in informing the Cuban people of the truth about the communist dictatorship and bypassing the censorship imposed by the Castro/Díaz-Canel regime. After the historic protests of July 11, 2021, the regime’s repression efforts have only increased. 

“It is unacceptable that the Administration is laying off nearly one third of the staff at the Office of Cuba Broadcasting at a time when we need them the most,” said Congresswoman Salazar.

The letter states: "In terms of funding, Congress has yet to receive an adequate explanation as to why USAGM has repeatedly requested drastic cuts of more than 50% to OCB starting in FY2019, and why it continues to do so despite requesting static funding or increases to the rest of its entities."

A copy of the letter can be read here.

Original source can be found here.