DIARIO DE CUBA

What DIARIO DE CUBA does

DIARIO DE CUBA is an independent digital news publication dedicated to Cuba, founded in 2009 and operated from Madrid, Spain by the legal entity Asoc. Diario de Cuba. The outlet produces daily journalism on Cuban politics, international affairs, human rights, culture, sports, and economy across eight website sections, supplemented by three sub-brands: DDC TV (video news and documentary content on YouTube), CUBAkústica FM (a Cuban-music podcast hosted by René Espí on SoundCloud, ranked 3rd among the top 100 Cuba-focused podcasts), and Foro DDC (a discussion forum on Cuba's future). The publication is accessible globally at no cost and is structured around a reader-supported donation model rather than a paywall. Two segmented email newsletters serve readers inside Cuba (via a separate distribution channel designed to circumvent state-controlled media) and international audiences respectively, while the outlet maintains social media presence across Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

The platform is a web-based digital news architecture with video streaming, audio/podcast hosting, and interactive community features including user registration, commenting, and forum discussion. The organization sustains reporting through a Madrid headquarters and a distributed correspondent network across Havana, Miami, Bogotá, Caracas, Lima, Brasília, La Paz, Washington, and Santiago de Cuba, with named contributors including Director Pablo Díaz Espí and editorial figures such as Julio Llópiz-Casal, Omar López Montenegro, and José Luis Reyes. DIARIO DE CUBA's go-to-market is editorial-content-led and donation-supported: there are no paid subscription tiers, no disclosed advertising products, and no paywall — instead, the outlet runs direct reader appeals under the banner 'TE NECESITAMOS: apoya a DIARIO DE CUBA,' positioning donations as contributions to press freedom.

Business-model revenue mechanics rely on dispersed individual donations and collaborative journalism partnerships. The outlet runs cross-border investigations with allied outlets (Armando.info, CLIP, Transparencia Venezuela, La Prensa) as exemplified by 'Destino Cuba,' and sources ongoing content from Cuban civil society partners (Cubalex, ICLEP, Centro de Documentación de Prisiones Cubanas). It also convenes recurring intellectual events such as the III Foro DDC 'Para la Cuba de mañana,' generating both coverage and positioning the outlet as a convening authority on Cuban affairs. The primary served audiences are the Spanish-speaking Cuban diaspora, international observers, policymakers, and human rights advocates, with a secondary audience of Cuban readers on the island seeking coverage unavailable through state-controlled domestic media.

Name

DIARIO DE CUBA

Legal name

Asoc. Diario de Cuba

Website

https://diariodecuba.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DIARIO DE CUBA is a Madrid-based independent digital news outlet founded in 2009, delivering uncensored Cuban journalism to the Spanish-speaking diaspora and readers on the island via website, DDC TV, CUBAkústica FM, and Foro DDC, funded by reader donations rather than a paywall.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News & Journalism

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Independent digital journalism
• Spanish-language news
• Cuban affairs coverage
• Human rights reporting
• Multimedia news platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DIARIO DE CUBA is an independent digital news publication operating from Madrid, Spain, providing journalism on Cuban affairs, international news, human rights, culture, sports, and economy. Its core offerings include a category-driven website, the DDC TV video platform, the CUBAkústica FM music podcast, and the Foro DDC discussion forum, supplemented by investigative collaborations and email newsletters distributed separately to readers inside Cuba and international audiences.

Product overview

DIARIO DE CUBA is a Madrid-based independent Cuban news publication operating as a single unified digital platform. The company produces journalism through its main website featuring category-based sections (Cuba, Internacional, Derechos Humanos, Cultura, Deportes, Economía), supplemented by DDC TV for video content, CUBAkústica FM for music podcasts, and the Foro DDC for discussion events on Cuba's future. The publication is accessible via subscription newsletters for readers in Cuba and abroad.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DDC TV: Video content platform associated with Diario de Cuba
• CUBAkústica FM
• Foro DDC

Quantifiable outcome

• CUBAkústica FM ranked 3rd among top 100 podcasts about Cuba on the internet

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Armando.infocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIARIO DE CUBA partnered with Armando.info (a Venezuelan investigative journalism outlet) along with CLIP, Transparencia Venezuela, and La Prensa for the investigation 'Destino Cuba: el rastro perdido del petróleo venezolano.' The alliance investigated missing crude oil shipments from PDVSA to Cuba, tracing the money trail to the network of sanctioned businessman Ramón Carretero Napolitano.
• Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística (CLIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDIARIO DE CUBA collaborated with CLIP as part of the multi-outlet investigation into Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba, combining journalistic resources and expertise across Latin American outlets.
• Transparencia VenezuelaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with DIARIO DE CUBA in the 'Destino Cuba' investigation on missing Venezuelan petroleum shipments, contributing transparency and anti-corruption expertise.
• La Prensa (Nicaragua)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with DIARIO DE CUBA in the 'Destino Cuba' investigative alliance covering the missing Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba.
• Centro de Documentación de Prisiones CubanasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Centro de Documentación de Prisiones Cubanas contributed content to DIARIO DE CUBA regarding political prisoners, including the testimony of Fabio Prieto Llorente about his imprisonment during the Primavera Negra of 2003.
• CubalexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCubalex, a Cuban human rights legal organization, provides legal analysis and case reporting to DIARIO DE CUBA on political prisoners, repression, and human rights violations in Cuba. Cubalex was the subject of an 8-year CIDH litigation that ruled against the Cuban State.
• ICLEP (Independent Cuban Library of Political Prisoners)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICLEP contributes reports on political prisoners and human rights violations in Cuba that are published through DIARIO DE CUBA, including coverage of Kevin Frómeta Castro's excarceration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Café Fuerte: Independent Cuban news outlet operating from Miami focused on Cuban news, politics, and human rights. Comparable as a niche Cuba-focused Spanish-language outlet serving the diaspora.
• 14ymedio: Independent Cuban digital news outlet founded by Yoani Sánchez, covering politics, human rights, and society inside Cuba. Directly comparable as a Spanish-language independent Cuba-focused news platform with a similar mission.
• Cubanet: Miami-based independent Cuban news outlet with deep coverage of Cuban politics, human rights, and diaspora affairs. Comparable as a long-running independent Cuban news brand serving the exile and diaspora audience.
• El Toque: Cuban independent digital magazine offering independent journalism on Cuban society, economics, and culture. Comparable as an independent Cuba-focused outlet serving audiences both in Cuba and abroad.
• Havana Times: Independent news platform covering Cuba and the diaspora, published in English and Spanish. Comparable as an independent outlet focused on Cuba that produces original reporting and analysis.
• ADN Cuba: Independent Cuban digital news platform covering politics, economy, society, and culture. Comparable as a Spanish-language independent news outlet focused on Cuba with multi-section coverage.
• Tremenda Nota: Independent Cuban digital media outlet covering society, culture, and rights from a progressive editorial stance. Comparable as an independent Cuba-focused Spanish-language outlet with a diaspora and in-island readership.

Broad incumbents

• El País (Spain): Major Spanish-language newspaper with regular coverage of Cuba and Latin America. Comparable as a Spanish-language news outlet covering Cuba, though operating as a broad general-interest publication rather than niche.
• Diario Las Américas: Major Spanish-language newspaper based in Miami with strong Cuban-affairs coverage. Comparable as a long-standing Spanish-language outlet covering Cuba for the diaspora but operating as a broader general-interest publication.

Others

• Armando.info: Venezuelan investigative journalism outlet that partnered with DDC on the 'Destino Cuba' oil investigation. Comparable as a co-publishing partner in cross-border investigative work on Venezuelan-Cuban affairs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/diariodecuba
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DDCTV-DIARIODECUBA
• Facebookfacebook.com/DIARIODECUBA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diario-de-cuba
• Instagraminstagram.com/diariodecuba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DIARIO DE CUBA