Dr. Paul Kengor, a political science professor, author, and PragerU presenter, explained how The New York Times played a pivotal role in the rise of Cuba’s communist dictator Fidel Castro. Speaking on The Alex Marlow Show podcast, Kengor highlighted the newspaper’s glowing and misleading coverage of Castro, which contributed to his ascent to power.
Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow noted that Kengor’s PragerU video on Castro sheds light on how the Times shaped public perception of the revolutionary leader. Kengor pointed to the late New York Times reporter and editorialist Herbert Matthews, who portrayed Castro as a democratic freedom fighter in a February 24, 1957, front-page article. Matthews’ reporting was so influential that Castro’s close ally, Che Guevara, later stated, “When the world had given us up for dead, the Herb Matthews piece in The New York Times resurrected us.”
At the time of Matthews’ reporting, Castro’s forces were struggling to gain traction. The article depicted him as anti-communist and pro-democracy, likening him to a Latin American George Washington. Kengor asserted that the Times significantly contributed to Castro’s legitimacy, paving the way for his eventual takeover of Cuba.
Kengor also addressed the brutality of Castro’s regime, particularly focusing on Che Guevara, whom he described as a “blood-thirsty” and “deranged psychopath.” He revealed that both Castro and Guevara were eager to launch nuclear missiles during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a stance that even Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev found too extreme. Khrushchev ultimately ordered the removal of the missiles, fearing that Castro’s recklessness could trigger global catastrophe.
Marlow and Kengor further discussed the role of Democrat policies in the rise of Pol Pot, Cambodia’s communist dictator responsible for the deaths of millions. Kengor argued that Republican warnings about the domino effect of communist expansion in Asia were proven correct, as China’s fall to communism in 1949 led to subsequent conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia.
The conversation on The Alex Marlow Show underscores the impact of media narratives on history and the consequences of misrepresenting totalitarian leaders. Kengor’s research highlights how biased reporting can shape global events with lasting repercussions.
