Soros takeover: MSNBC rushes to defense of liberal acquisition of Miami’s anti-communism Radio Mambi

MSNBC rushed to the defense of a George-Soros-linked group that is set to takeover Miami’s iconic, Spanish-language conservative talk radio station Radio Mambi. 

The formation of the Latino Media Network, a new network set to be made up of 18 Hispanic radio stations including Miami’s conservative Radio Mambi, was partially financed by Lakestar Finance, an investment group affiliated with Soros Fund Management. The stations, currently owned by Univision, would be controlled by Jess Morales Rocketto, a former Hillary for America and AFL-CIO employee, and Stephanie Valencia, a former Obama White House staffer, if the venture receives Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval. 

Radio Mambi, which is historically linked to the Cuban exile community and offers an anti-communism view, would be controlled by a group of liberals partially funded by Soros, a far-left billionaire, if the $60 million deal is approved. The potential takeover has been called an attempt to control "the flow of information to a specific community for political purposes," and conservative Radio Mambi staffers are outraged. 

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There have been protests throughout the Miami area, local South Florida politicians have spoken out and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., criticized the deal. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted, "The Soros-funded radical Left is running a scheme to manipulate local media in Florida to push their Marxist agenda on voters."

However, MSNBC columnist Julio Ricardo Varela downplayed the looming takeover in a Sunday piece headlined, "The buyers of this talk radio station promise 'journalistic integrity.' Conservatives are scared." 

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"There is speculation however, mostly fueled by conservative Latinos, that because Valencia worked in the Obama administration and Morales Rocketto worked on Clinton’s and Obama’s presidential campaigns, their radio network will be a Latino mouthpiece of the Democratic Party," Varela wrote. 

"Those critics are especially concerned because one of the radio stations the Latino Media Network is acquiring is Miami’s Radio Mambí, which prioritizes topics including Cuba and favors former President Donald Trump," Varela continued. "The station, which its critics accuse of ‘pushing right-wing and sometimes racist disinformation,’ has been a darling of the Latino right for years. Now that it’s owned by a pair who favor Democratic causes, conservatives fear the station will be the darling of the Latino left."

The MSNBC column noted that Valencia has insisted she won’t change Radio Mambi, but staffers inside the building disagree. 

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"Nobody believes her," a Radio Mambi insider who recently attended an all-hands meeting with Valencia told Fox News Digital. "Honestly, they really believe we are stupid." 

The MSNBC column also echoes recent comments Valencia made to staffers that attempt to downplay Soro’s involvement, saying he is "merely one of the investors" in the project who "has no influence on the editorial line of any of our stations."

But critics disagree and Media Research Center director of MRC Latino Jorge Bonilla blasted the move as a power grab by the left. 

"This is about power, this is about control. This is not about free speech. This is not about this misinformation. This is about controlling the flow of information to a specific community for political purposes, and that is what makes this deal, I think, so controversial," Bonilla told Fox News Digital. 

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The MSNBC piece concluded by noting that such a "historic announcement from two prominent Latina Democrats has caused political ripples that are rarely seen."

"It’s no wonder Valencia and Morales Rocketto are already feeling the heat from conservative Latinos who have rarely been challenged — as well as conservative lawmakers like DeSantis and Rubio who depend on their support," MSNBC’s Varela wrote. "Perhaps the kind of disruption Valencia and Morales Rocketto are providing is exactly the kind of disruption the market needs."

Bonilla feels that liberals controlling Radio Mambi would be a significant factor in the 2024 presidential election, as the Hispanic community doesn’t have many well-established conservative media options. Florida's shift to the right in the past two presidential elections has mirrored an increase in Latino support for Republicans – former President Trump comfortably carried Florida in 2020 over Biden, in part by making major gains in Miami-Dade County with increased support from Cuban-Americans.

Fox News' David Rutz contributed to this report.