On the evening of December 7, Cuban Television refuted claims that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad had fled the country. Just hours before the West officially announced the fall of the Damascus regime on December 8, the Russian government confirmed that Assad was in Moscow with his family.
During the prime-time news broadcast, anchor Talía González labeled the information suggesting Assad's escape to Russia as "distorted," dismissing the rumors that had circulated by 8:00 PM Cuba time on Saturday, December 7. Her co-anchor, Froilán Arencibia, simply reiterated the statements being released by the Syrian Presidency and Prensa Latina at the time. Both sources spread misinformation for reasons which remain unclear.
On December 8, the Cuban news agency published the report on the Syrian regime's downfall. Meanwhile, Canal Caribe also shared this information without mentioning Assad's alleged escape to Moscow, failing to correct their "error" from December 7. The first to identify the NTV's 'fake news' was the media outlet El Toque, which shared the broadcast moment on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), showing the anchors denying that the Syrian dictator was in Russia.
The Cuban Television's blunder might be attributed to either deliberate intent or an evident admission that neither Russia nor Syria informed their Cuban ally of Assad's relocation. This undermines the supposed friendship between Cuba, Russia, and Syria, recently touted by the regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel. In fact, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez boasted on social media about having conversed with his Syrian counterpart on December 4, just four days before Assad's fall.
The evidence leans toward the latter explanation (Díaz-Canel's lack of influence among his allies), given the Cuban regime's silence following Assad's departure to Russia. They either learned of the events too late and were left speechless, or they were aware, intentionally lied, and chose to remain silent. Time will ultimately reveal the truth.
Understanding the Cuban Media's Response to Assad's Movement
Why did Cuban Television deny Assad's escape?
Cuban Television denied Assad's escape to maintain the narrative provided by the Syrian government and Prensa Latina, despite later confirmations of his presence in Moscow.
What impact does this have on Cuba's relationship with Syria and Russia?
The incident suggests a lack of communication and trust between Cuba and its supposed allies, Syria and Russia, raising questions about the authenticity of their diplomatic ties.
How did El Toque contribute to this narrative?
El Toque identified and shared the moment Cuban Television denied Assad's presence in Russia, highlighting the misinformation spread by Cuban media.