Clandestine Radio: An Anti-Castro Historiography
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site is a World Wide Web resource that archives past and present
anti-Castro clandestine radio stations and analyzes the use of political
propaganda against the Castro regime. A current schedule of times and
frequencies of active stations are listed as well as sample audio
transmissions and a snapshot gallery of QSL cards. |
The use of clandestine radio as a political tool for influence and persuasion is still utilized in political statecraft. In an interconnected world, political actors or states exercise public diplomacy in a concerted effort to further their political agenda to influence the target state and populace. Public diplomacy is a polite term for what many would regard as straightforward propaganda (the methodical spreading of information to influence public opinion).1 The United States has used public diplomacy as an instrument of global influence.
In the case of Cuba, the United States and Cuban exiles have waged a propaganda war against the Castro regime since its inception. The use of clandestine radio is not a new method for Cubans. The first clandestine station in Cuban history and one of the first in world history went on air June 9, 1933. It was sponsored by a student revolutionary group broadcasting anti-Machado propaganda and calling on the Cuban Army to revolt. The government of Gerardo Machado was among the most brutal and venal in Cuban history.2
"In July of 1960, Radio Cuba Independiente, a broadcast radio station was installed aboard an 85 ft. yacht named Calypso, this was really the first clandestine transmitter operated by exiles in a regular base. The Calypso would stay in the Key Sal Bank and broadcast programs to Cuba from 8 to 10 PM every night on the 49 meters band. The programs were recorded in Miami, sent to Bimini and picked up there. We traveled from Key Sal Bank to Bimini back and forth. That lasted until February 1961, when Radio Swan took control. After the invasion, the Calypso was stolen with all radio equipment inside. It was a really crazy operation".3 During the Bay of Pigs invasion, clandestine radio played a role in carrying out that failed mission. Radio Swan, a "black" station broadcasting during the invasion was a propaganda operation. David Atlee Phillips, who had organized the anti-Arbenz radio station that broadcast to Guatemala during the coup there, was involved in a similar operation with the Bay of Pigs. His work in Guatemala successfully confused the Arbenz administration and created a sense of depression and defeat in Arbenz before he was actually ousted. With the same purpose in mind, Phillips established an anti-Castro "Cuban" radio station-Radio Swan-on Swan Island, located between Cuba and Central America, and stayed in close touch with the organizers of the land.4
The anti-Castro propagandist utilizes phrases like "liberty, freedom, and the end to the Castro tyranny"5 among others and news of Cuban domestic reality, are persuasion methods used to send a message to the Cuban populace and further influence their opinions about their government, leadership, and policies that effect their daily lives. As an example of this tactic, the following text taken from a February 17, 1998 broadcast of La Voz del CID:
...an aspect that is seldom touched upon by the news media are political prisoners, the victims of the Castro regime who suffer the most. The theme of political prisoners took a relevant turn when Pope John Paul, II visited Cuba on January 21st through the 25th. It was revealed that the Vatican's Secretary of State met with Cuban government officials and solicited the release of an undisclosed number of political prisoners. Many days have passed and there has been no news of this issue. The Castro regime has not released a single political prisoner after this request.For many Cubans, stations like Radio Marti, provide a news outlet that is not readily available domestically because of the control of domestic media by the Cuban government that uses its own internal propaganda to control public opinion. Simplicity in message is an effective approach. Propaganda is most effective when the actor is able to seize the target's attention and convey its message in a simple manner that the audience can understand.6
Most recently, Radio Caiman a "black" station broadcasted popular music and anti-Castro propaganda. Comite Pro Libertad de Cuba claimed to have run the station. It was reported in the US press in November 1994 that the station, which was believed to have been run by the CIA from Costa Rica, had been closed down as part of conciliatory moves toward Cuba by the US authorities.7 Radio Marti, a "white" clandestine station established by the U.S. government in 1985 continues to broadcast news and information to the people of Cuba. Its mission is to promote the policy of the United States and to support the right of the people of Cuba to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers, in accordance with article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights; that, constant with this policy, radio broadcasting to Cuba may be effective in furthering the open communication of accurate information and ideas about Cuba, in particular information about Cuba.8
A handful of Cuban exile stations remain broadcasting as they purchase broadcast time on US commercial short-wave stations, e.g.. WHRI and WRMI. The last "gray" station was La Voz del CID (Cuba Independiente y Democratica). Their broadcasts had been sporadic due to a lack of funds. It had been reported that their clandestine transmitter was located in Central America, possibly Guatemala.9
The following table gives an overview of the anti-Castro clandestine radio stations, past and present:
Anti-Castro Stations and Programs (1981-1995)10
(White=W, Gray=G, Black=B)1
| Name (Organization) | 1981-1985 | 1986-1990 | 1991-1995 | Comments |
| La Voz del CID (Cuba Independiente y Democratica) | G | G | G | started in 1981 |
| Radio Libertad Cubana (Commander David) | G | - | - | closed by FCC |
| La Voz Democratica Cristiana de Cuba/formerly Radio Cuba Libre (Partido Democratica Cristiana de Cuba) | G | - | W | white on WRNO |
| Radio Antorcha Martiana (Movimiento Insurrecion Martiana) | G | G | - | - |
| Pueblo Libre - La Voz de La Junta Patriotica Cubana/formerly Radio Mambi | G | G | W | white on WWCR, HRJA, WRNO; off air in 1994 |
| Radio Abdala | G | - | - | - |
| Radio Trinchera | G | - | - | - |
| Cuba al Dia | G | - | - | - |
| Radio Caiman (CIA) | B | B | B | off air in 1994 |
| La Voz de la Resistencia Interna | G | - | - | - |
| Esperanza - La Voz de los Municipios de Cuba en Exilio/formerly Voz de Esperanza | G | - | W | white on WWCR; off air in 1994 |
| Radio Marti (USIA) | W | W | W | - |
| Radio Libertad Cubana y Radio Felipe de la Cruz | - | G | - | - |
| La Voz del Combatiente Cubano | - | G | - | - |
| La Voz de Tribuna Libre (Alianza Cubana) | - | - | W | - |
| La Voz de la Federacion Mundial de Ex-Presos a Politico de Cubanos | - | - | G & W | gray closed by FCC in 1994 |
| Radio Nacional Cubana (Frente Nacional Cubano) | - | - | G | closed by FCC in 1994 |
| Voz de la Fundacion (Cuban American National Foundation) | - | - | W | on WHRI, WRMI |
| Voz de Cuba 21 (Movimiento Cuba-21) | - | - | W | on WRNO |
| Voz de Directoria de Revolucionario Democratico Cubano | - | - | W | on WWCR; off air in 1994 |
| Radio Voluntal Democratica (Partido Revolucionario Auntentico) | - | - | W | on WWCR; off air in 1994 |
| TV Marti (USIA) | - | W | W | - |
| Radio Periodico Panamericano (Estudios Cubanos) | - | W | W | on WRNO |
| La Voz del Ecuador Cubano Libre | - | - | W | on HRJA |
| Radio Conciencia (National Cuban Commission) | - | - | W | on WRNO; off air in 1994 |
| Rumbo a la Libertad (Brigade 2506) | - | - | W | on WRNO |
| Un Solo Pueblo - Voz de Radio Periodico Semanal (Coordinadora Social Democratica de Cuba) | - | - | W | on WRNO, HRJA |
| Movimiento 30 de Noviembre | - | - | W | on WRNO |
| Radio Roquero (Victor Garcia-Rivera) | - | - | W | HRJA |
| La Voz del Veterano | - | - | W | on HRJA |
| Voz de la Unidad Cubana (CANF y Junta Patriotica Cubana) | - | - | W | WRNO |
| Radio General Ochoa (Partido Cubano Independiente) | - | - | W | off air in 1994 |
| Voz de Medicos Cubanos Libres | - | - | W | on WRNO; off air in 1994 |
| Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionario | - | - | W | on WRNO |
1. Charles W. Kegley and Eugene R. Wittkopf. 1991. American Foreign Policy: Pattern and Process, 4th Ed. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 120. [TOP]2. Lawrence C. Soley and John S. Nichols. 1987. Clandestine Radio Broadcasting: A Study of Revolutionary and Counterrevolutionary Electronic Communication. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. p. 164. [TOP]
3. Manuel A. Alvarez, a veteran of the 2506 Brigade that invaded Cuba in April 17, 1961 was in charge of the Brigade's communications, related his participation in the first anti-Castro clandestine radio station. Manuel A. Alvarez. 1998. "Radio Cuba Independiente." Personal e-mail. November 23. [TOP]
4. John Ranelagh. 1986. The Agency: The Rise and Decline of the CIA. New York: Simon and Schuster. For the station's establishment see a memorandum prepared in the CIA entitled "A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime," which was approved by President Eisenhower on March 17, 1960. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958-1960, Vol. VI, Cuba. Washington, D.C.: US Government Printing Office. 1991. pp. 850-851.
For Radio Swan's history see, Document 231. Memorandum No. 1 From the Cuba Study Group to President Kennedy, Annex 2, "Brief History of Radio Swan".
See also David Atlee Phillips. 1977. The Night Watch. New York: Ballantine Books, for an account of Radio Swan's creation as well as an undated interview with Mr. Phillips.
Listen to E. Howard Hunt and David Atlee Phillips, former CIA officers, discuss their participation in the use of propaganda and clandestine radio in the Guatemala operation as seen in the PBS documentary Secret Intelligence (1988) via Real Audio.
On February 22, 1998, the CIA released to the National Security Archives its Inspector General's Survey of the Cuban Operation - October 1961 that outlines a critical review of the Bay of Pigs operation which includes a section on the use of propaganda and anti-Castro broadcasts. [TOP]
5. See the Propaganda Analysis Home Page for the use of word games as a propaganda technique. [TOP]
6. Harold D. Lasswell and Abraham Kaplan. 1950. Power and Society New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. p. 99. [TOP]
7. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. Part V: Africa and Latin America. March 16, 1995.
See also Christopher Marquis and Andres Oppenheimer. "Clinton cut spying on Cuba." Miami Herald October 1, 1996. for an account of the Clinton administration's attempts to "smooth ties" with Havana by barring covert operations and the closing of a clandestine radio station (Radio Caiman). [TOP]8. Advisory Board for Radio Broadcasting to Cuba. 1986. Report by the Advisory Board for Radio Broadcasting to Cuba. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. May 20. [TOP]
9. According to Jeff White of WRMI, La Voz del CID's broadcast site was in El Salvador and went off the air in early 1998 due to political problems in that country. Jeff White. 1998. "WRMI Schedule Update." Personal e-mail. January 19. [TOP]
10. John S. Nichols. 1997. "Institutionalization of Anti-Castro Radio Broadcasting." in Nancy Lynch Street and Marilyn J. Matelski. eds. Messages from the Underground: Transnational Radio in Resistance and in Solidarity. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. pgs. 108-109. [TOP]
11. Clandestine stations are distinguished from so-called "white" stations, which broadcast legally and openly from known locations and with the acknowledged purpose. White stations are usually operated by foreign governments (e.g., the U.S. governments Voice of America); however, in the case of Cuba, white anti-Castro propaganda is increasingly carried over commercial short-wave stations. Clandestine stations are categorized as either "gray" or "black". According to Elliot et. al., black stations "purport to be something other than what they really are." For example, a station secretly operated by a foreign intelligence agency but claiming to be that of an indigenous opposition group is classified as black. Gray stations not withstanding their illegal operation and hidden location, usually acknowledge their real sponsorship and purpose. Ibid., 104. [TOP]
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