DORAL, Fla. – Cars pulled into the parking lot at Radio and TV Martí headquarters in Doral Wednesday morning, the first signs of activity after an executive order from President Donald Trump essentially shut down the government-funded broadcast channels by putting all of their workers on paid temporary leave.
While it wasn’t clear who was returning Wednesday, the order, signed by Trump more than a week ago, instructed all employees to remain off the property and on call to return to work within a day’s notice.
The stations were originally formed during the Reagan administration to promote democracy overseas.
The organization beams Spanish-language newscasts directly into Cuba to counter disinformation and provide a direct source of objective journalism to the island.
The order is part of a plan to dismantle the office that oversees Martí, along with six other agencies overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media. The move is drawing criticism from many, including U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, who called it a gift to the Cuban regime.
“He’s caving when it comes to fighting communism and autocracy,” Wasserman Schultz said.
Her Republican counterpart, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, described the initial move against Martí as more of an evaluation period during a “This Week in South Florida” interview with Local 10′s Glenna Milberg.
“I think it has to be evaluated and each agency head is going to do that and come back with a recommendation,” he said.
It’s not clear when or if the agency’s broadcast will be restored. Local 10 contacted the U.S. Agency for Global Media seeking comment and had not heard back as of around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.