Modesto Agüero, one of the most prominent voices in Cuban sports commentary who spent decades covering major events, shared insights on how censorship operates within official media and how journalists and commentators must adhere to the rules to avoid losing their jobs.
Now residing in Spain for the past seven years, the former member of the Communist Party of Cuba revealed in an interview with the portal Diario de Cuba what happened when an athlete defected from their delegation.
"I knew what I could say and what I couldn't, just like my colleagues. Indeed, athletes who left their delegations couldn't be mentioned. Some people still write to me asking why I talk about Cuban players in the Major Leagues now when I didn't do it in Cuba. I once responded, 'Because I didn't know you. If I had known you, I would have talked about them because I knew that when I got kicked out of the ICRT, you would support me.' We couldn't talk about it then, and we still can't," he emphasized.
The veteran commentator recalled an incident in a meeting at the ICRT where he questioned why, in a country where baseball is the national sport, Major League games were not broadcast, while professional international soccer was.
"So, it's not a matter of professionalism. Major League Baseball, which is the best baseball in the world, isn't shown in Cuba," he questioned.
"They didn't like my statement in the meeting, but nothing happened," he noted.
Modesto, who continues his professional work in Spain with the women's softball league, referred to an incident last year when Cuban television removed his narration of the Softball World Cup simply because he lives in another country.
"I was both surprised and annoyed to learn that in Cuba they removed my narration and had someone in Havana do it. They didn't respect my 40 years as a sports commentator on Cuban TV," he said in a Facebook post.
He told Diario de Cuba that the excuse given was that if they didn't have a narrator in Havana, they couldn't get paid.
Agüero moved to Spain after retiring, accompanied by his wife to reunite with their daughters. He acknowledges feeling happy and fulfilled, although he admits missing the affection of Cuban fans.
"Here, I go out on the street, and no one knows me. When I meet a Cuban, I'm the happiest person in the world because I can talk about sports with them. The other day, on the subway, someone said, 'Hey, Modesto Agüero,' and I was the happiest person in the world," he shared.
Understanding Censorship in Cuban Media
Below are some questions and answers that delve deeper into the issue of censorship in Cuban media and its impact on journalists and commentators like Modesto Agüero.
How does censorship affect sports commentators in Cuba?
Censorship in Cuba requires sports commentators to follow strict guidelines on what they can and cannot say. Mentioning defected athletes or certain international competitions is prohibited, and failure to comply can result in losing their jobs.
Why was Modesto Agüero's narration removed from Cuban television?
Modesto Agüero's narration was removed because he lives in another country. The official excuse was that without a narrator in Havana, the team couldn't get paid, despite Agüero's 40 years of experience as a sports commentator in Cuba.
What are some challenges Modesto Agüero faces in Spain?
In Spain, Modesto Agüero enjoys his work and feels happy and fulfilled. However, he misses the recognition and affection from Cuban fans, as fewer people know him in Spain.