Radio Martí special: Tomás Regalado reflects on exile press, Cuba’s repression and fallout from Maduro capture

Tomás Regalado, a veteran journalist and current Miami-Dade County property appraiser, told a Radio Martí special that exile broadcasters have played a central role preserving memories the Cuban government has tried to erase. "El presidio político es tan viejo como la revolución," Regalado said, arguing that repression and the silencing of dissent are longstanding features of the Cuban state.

Regalado and hosts Yanisé Rivero and Ninoska Pérez Castellón traced the development of Spanish-language radio in Miami, saying stations such as La Fabulosa helped professionalize émigré journalism. They emphasized verification standards used by traditional reporters — "three sources," as discussed on the program — and contrasted that practice with the limits faced by journalists reporting from inside Cuba.

The conversation broadened to recent regional events after the broadcast broke for a news bulletin reporting helicopters and a U.S. operation tied to Nicolás Maduro. Hosts and guests framed the episode as part of a larger geopolitical moment affecting Cuba and Venezuela, noting uncertainty about the facts circulating in real time. The program referenced official denials cited on-air that had said Cuban authorities denied having a formal military presence in Venezuela; speakers said those denials and other public statements were part of a contested factual record.

Speakers recounted historical episodes to illustrate the costs of state secrecy and repression, including references to Cuban involvement in foreign conflicts such as Angola and to the painful treatment of veterans and families. The panel also discussed a social-media example they said showed shifting sentiment inside Cuba: a Santiago de Cuba resident’s Facebook poll that the program said "superó 33,000 reacciones" and about 30,000 votes favoring Marco Rubio over Miguel Díaz-Canel, and that the pollster was later summoned by local police. "La publicación se volvió viral, superando 33000 reacciones," an on-air contributor said when describing the post and the subsequent summons.

The program combined personal testimony, historical framing and real-time reaction to breaking news. It closed with hosts thanking Regalado and directing listeners to Martí’s web platforms for additional reporting.

The broadcast included firsthand recollections from exile journalists and on-air claims about Cuba’s external activities that were discussed and disputed in the program itself. No formal verification of the breaking-news items was established on-air; hosts and guests encouraged listeners to follow Martí’s ongoing coverage.