The Board of Directors of the Social Communication Information Institute (ICS) announced on December 23 the appointment of Xenia López González, a master in Communication Sciences, as the new vice president, according to the Cuban News Agency.
With a background in law, López has a long-standing career within the state media system. Her career began at the former Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT) in 2013, where she initially served as deputy director of the Educational Channel.
In 2015, she was promoted to director of the channel, a position she held until 2018. During that year, she transitioned to leading the International Relations department of the ICRT, a role she maintained until March 2024.
Her tenure in international relations coincided with a period of increasingly stringent institutional rhetoric against independent media and digital platforms. Prior to her vice presidency at the ICS, López was the general director of Advertising and Sponsorship within the same institute.
Established in August 2021 following the dissolution of the ICRT as a Central State Administration entity, the ICS was formed under decree-law 41. Its mission includes overseeing and managing the social communication policies of the Cuban State and Government and recommending improvements.
Since its inception, the ICS has steadily expanded its responsibilities. In November 2024, it accredited the first group of social communication inspectors, who are tasked with "monitoring and auditing" communication processes in Cuba. This move raised concerns about its implications for freedom of expression and censorship.
The Social Communication Law 162/2023 formalizes these inspectors' roles, giving them the authority to oversee content and communication practices across organizational, community, and media domains, whether in physical spaces or online.
This legal framework positions the ICS as a central force in state information control, with the appointment of new leadership figures reinforcing the continuation of these policies.
Understanding Cuba's Social Communication Policies
What are the responsibilities of the Social Communication Information Institute in Cuba?
The ICS is tasked with guiding and controlling the social communication policies of the Cuban State and Government. It also proposes enhancements to these policies.
How has the role of social communication inspectors evolved in Cuba?
Social communication inspectors, formalized under Law 162/2023, have been granted authority to oversee and supervise communication practices across various domains, including organizational, community, and media sectors, in both physical and digital spaces.