RFE/RL headquarters in Prague. Photo: AP
The international news platform América 24Horas strongly condemns President Donald Trump’s decision to downsize the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Voice of America, Martinoticias, Alhurra, and Radio Free Asia.
Canceling the USAGM grant agreement would be a reward for dictators around the world who have called for the closure of RFE/RL and the U.S. Agency for Global Media outlets.
The Kremlin has declared RFE/RL a «foreign agent» under a Russian law against independent media and journalists, and has banned its operations in Russia.
«It would be an unprecedented event in the history of media. The dictators of Russia, Belarus, the Taliban, the Iranian regime, the Chinese Communist Party and its leaders, and the Cuban regime would be delighted if a media shutdown supervised by the USAGM were to take place ,» said Alejandro Mendoza, director of América 24Horas, after learning of the decision.
Mendoza expressed concern about a possible shutdown of USAGM media outlets, as millions of people in countries where freedom of expression is restricted would be left without reliable, uncensored news, as produced by USAGM media outlets.
USAGM is an independent agency of the United States government that oversees the delivery of news and information in nearly 50 languages to approximately 361 million people each week.
According to media reports, VOA employees were informed early on the morning of March 15 that they had been placed on paid administrative leave, although if they were asked to work, they were required to do so.
The situation at the other stations was not immediately clear, RFE/RL reported on March 15.
“It is outrageous that the White House is seeking to dismantle the congressionally funded agency that supports independent journalism that challenges the narratives of authoritarian regimes around the world,” said Carlos Martínez de la Serna, program director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, in a statement on March 15.
“We call on congressional leaders to protect this crucial agency, which provides uncensored news in countries where the press is restricted,” Martínez de la Serna added.
Trump, who has taken several steps to cut government spending since taking office for a second term in January, clashed with USAGM over editorial independence and programming direction during his first term.