U.S. proposes making Radio Marti, broadcaster to Cuba, independent
U.S. proposes making Radio Marti, broadcaster to Cuba, independent
By Arshad Mohammed, Warren Strobel and David Adams
WASHINGTON/MIAMI, March 3 Tue Mar 3, 2015 3:15pm EST
(Reuters) - The White House has proposed turning Radio Marti, a U.S. government-controlled broadcaster created in part to undermine communist rule in Cuba, into a separate entity as Washington seeks rapprochement with Havana.
The proposal, buried in the federal budget released last month, was made some six weeks after the United States and Cuba agreed on Dec. 17 to embark on an effort to restore diplomatic ties and normalize relations after more than 50 years of enmity.
U.S. officials said the proposal was unrelated to the Cuba outreach and aimed at modernizing the broadcaster.
However, it has troubled critics of the thaw with Cuba, who view the proposed change as part of what they regard as the White House's abandonment of the fight against the authoritarian Castro government, a congressional aide said.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/03/usa-cuba-broadcaster-idUSL1N0W50MA20150303?rpc=401