In a message published on the Presidential website, addressed to Cuban press workers and particularly to young people new to the profession, the president recalled the birth of the newspaper Patria, founded by José Martí on this day in 1892, “to unite and love, and to live in the passion of truth.”
He noted that amidst the fiercest imperial siege, Cuban journalists take on the daily challenge of recording what is being done and that it is their responsibility to point out, highlight, and, if possible, rectify everything that hinders and weakens communication between the people and their leaders.
In his message, the head of state affirmed that despite its progress and growth in recent years, the press continues to suffer from the burden of outdated practices in language, forms, and timing, a logical consequence of years of working in the trenches.
Hence, today the press is aggressively challenged to transform itself, creatively, viralizing the passion for the truth in the face of the obscene invasion of lies and manipulations that assault audiences from digital networks driven by hate.
It is about, he noted, opposing the truth of a nation caught up in the search for solutions to imperial harassment, with exemplary dignity that includes the essential self-criticism.
We are all aware of how much so-called social media and new technologies have transformed the media landscape, driven by disinformation, fake news, and the manipulation of public opinion.
In this context, Cuban journalism has the responsibility to surpass itself, as a beacon of truth and ethics, using digital tools not to follow trends, but to educate, raise awareness, and defend the truth, he reflected.
According to the president, the Cuban press must be a bastion in the defense of truth and justice, and an instrument for mobilizing and raising awareness among the people.
He also affirmed his conviction that political and digital communication can and should be a tool for accelerating the construction of a more just and supportive world.
On this Press Day, we reaffirm our commitment to truth, justice, and the Revolution. The Cuban press is not a business; it is a service. It is not an instrument of domination; it is a tool of liberation, he affirmed.
Let us remain faithful to the legacy of Martí, who said: “The press is not benign approval or insulting anger; it is proposition, study, examination, and advice.”
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