The Network of Exiled Media Outlets (NEMO) is proud to officially announce the incorporation of El Toque, an independent, exiled media outlet from Cuba, as a core member. This milestone strengthens our geographic reach, boosts our knowledge-sharing efforts, and deepens our advocacy capacity for exiled media organizations around the world. NEMO was founded three years ago with the aim of reshaping the narrative around the exiled media ecosystem.
About El Toque
Launched in 2014 as a project of the Latin American department of RNW Media—a Dutch non-governmental organization formerly known as Radio Nederland Wereldomroep—El Toque has grown into one of the most recognized digital publications in the Latin American region. Its currency exchange tracker is widely used by the Cuban population, making the outlet both a valuable resource and a target of the Castro regime.
Legally registered as the “Mas Voces Foundation INC.” El Toque became independent from RNW Media in 2018, when a group of Cuban journalists reporting from the island took on the challenge of keeping the project alive and making it their own. José Nieves, El Toque’s editor-in-chief, explains that his newsroom belongs to a generation that transitioned from state-run media to independent digital startups.
This shift occurred during the Cuban Thaw—a period in which the United States, under the Obama administration, sought to “normalize” relations with Cuba. Nieves notes that during this time, the Cuban government was less hostile toward independent media.
El Toque was able to maintain an office and report from the island. However, after the end of the Obama administration, the Cuban regime reverted to its pattern of repressing dissident voices. Between 2019 and 2022, José and his colleagues were forced into exile and have operated from abroad ever since.
A Year of Collaboration with NEMO
El Toque’s relationship with NEMO began in June 2024, when its team joined our Knowledge Exchange Sessions (KES) to explore the value of the network.These monthly sessions are a safe space for media outlets in exile to discuss challenges, share solutions, and foster trust across borders.
“These knowledge-sharing spaces have been, first and foremost, a source of validation and reinforcement of our own confidence in the impact and value of what we are doing in El Toque. It’s invaluable to see how other colleagues, sometimes operating in even more hostile and dangerous environments than ours, are facing similar challenges and finding creative and resilient solutions that inspire us,” expressed José.
From the beginning, El Toque actively collaborated with NEMO, resulting in the following joint efforts:
- 2024: Participated in nine Knowledge Exchange Sessions on revenue models, safety protocols, and emergency distribution tools. José also led a session on social innovation for exiled media.
- 2025: Co-developed a training session for Asian exiled media in Taiwan, sharing insights on remote reporting and fact-checking.
- NEMO was interviewed by José for a video podcast on sustainability in exiled media, and collaborated with him in representing the sector at conferences in Mexico and the U.S.
- Co-authored new resources for the IJNet+NEMO Exiled Media Toolkit, focused on sustainability strategies for newsrooms in exile.
Becoming a Core Member
After a full year of collaboration, both parties agreed it was time to elevate El Toque to the core membership level—a role that brings new responsibilities and opportunities.
As a core member, El Toque will:
- Vote in strategic institutional decisions
- Represent NEMO at international events
- Participate in annual in-person summits
- Help shape the future of the network
“The challenge of sustainability—which goes far beyond generating revenue to include operational capacity and journalistic impact—is increasingly urgent. We are proud to seek solutions collectively with this valuable group of media outlets and colleagues. For El Toque, being part of NEMO is a way to remain true to the mission that gave rise to Más Voces as a concept: we don’t work just for ourselves as a media organization—we are fully committed to collaborating with the broader ecosystem,” said José.
Welcome, El Toque!
At NEMO, we are thrilled to welcome El Toque as a core member. As a peer-to-peer and advocacy network, we exist to strengthen and connect independent media organizations navigating exile, censorship, and crisis.
Want to learn more about NEMO or join our network?
Reach out to us at info@exiled.media.