USA: Radio and TV Martí Host Candidates Garcia and Rivera for Debate on Cuba Policy

In an historic first, Radio and TV Martí hosted a debate between the Democratic and Republican candidates for Florida's 25th Congressional District. The Cuban-American candidates, Joe Garcia (D), chairman of the Democratic Party in Miami-Dade, and David Rivera (R), Florida State representative, answered questions from independent journalists, economists and others in Cuba in the live streamed event.

"The freedom of candidates to engage in public debate of policy issues and the freedom of voters to evaluate those ideas for themselves are cornerstones of the democratic political process," said Carlos A. García-Pérez, incoming director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), which oversees Radio and TV Martí. "Both candidates showed a great commitment to the process by agreeing to this debate for Cubans on issues related to Cuba."

Veteran Martí journalist and news anchor Karen Caballero moderated the candidates' discussion of issues, which centered on U.S.-Cuban relations including the embargo and travel as well as current economic conditions and human rights in Cuba.

The debate will be broadcast to Cuba on Nov. 2, as a live-to-tape program via Radio and TV Martí, on Ch. 13 (VHF), Ch. 20 (UHF), AM and shortwave radio and will be available online at www.Martinoticias.com.

The Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which is funded by the U.S. government through the presidentially appointed Broadcasting Board of Governors, was established in 1990 to oversee the operations of Radio and TV Martí, which broadcast news and information to the people of Cuba.