The Social Communication Law in Cuba. A Catalyst for community communication empowerment

Abstract

Introduction: This article analyzes the interrelationship between the Communication Law and the management of community communication in the current Cuban context. It examines how the new legal framework provides legal personality and technical structure to communication processes at the grassroots level. Materials and methods: Through a descriptive and exegetical study, from a qualitative perspective and using methods such as documentary, exegetical, and synthetic-analytical analysis, the challenges and opportunities that the legislation represents for social transformation and the strengthening of local identity are identified. Discussion: Social communication in Cuba is undergoing an unprecedented process of structural transformation following the approval of Law No. 162 on Social Communication in 2023. This body of law not only organizes the mass media system but also recognizes, for the first time with the force of law, the strategic relevance of communication in the institutional, promotional, and, fundamentally, community spheres. In this last scenario, communication is established as a public good and a citizen's right essential for the sustainability of the Cuban social model. Conclusions: The results indicate that the Social Communication Law has created the necessary legal framework; however, the analysis confirms that real transformation depends on effective collaboration between academia, local government, and the community, with popular education serving as the central driving force for change. This study emphasizes the role of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) as a pedagogical tool for popular education.