teleSUR Marks 20 Years as Global South’s Alternative Voice
A teleSUR studio.
July 24, 2025 Hour: 9:52 am
Since 2005, teleSUR has carried out its communications work with a solidarity perspective.
In a media landscape dominated by large corporations that shape global narratives, the multinational platform teleSUR marks its 20th anniversary in 2025 as a multimedia outlet founded to place Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Global South at the center of meaning-making in the modern world.
RELATED:
teleSUR Marks 20 Years as Voice of the Global South, Faces New Communication Challenges
Since its inception, teleSUR has established itself not only as a news channel but also as a cultural and informational space that challenges the established order with a critical and solidarity-based perspective. Rooted in a region that resists imperialism, its mission has been to “promote the processes of unity among the peoples of the South.”
The outlet’s trajectory reflects an emancipatory vision in the ongoing battle for information sovereignty, resisting attempts to subordinate its audiences. As teleSUR President Patricia Villegas stated, it is essential to “remember where we come from and who we are.”
Over the past two decades, teleSUR has overcome immense challenges, from technological transformations to cyberattacks, remaining a media compass for the “Great Homeland”—the dream of liberators like Simon Bolivar, Antonio Jose de Sucre, and Francisco de Miranda. Inspired by the legacy of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, teleSUR holds firm to its motto: “Our North is the South.”
Throughout its history, teleSUR has covered major global events—from revolutionary movements and popular uprisings to major sports and cultural events—while maintaining a critical lens grounded in the voice of the people. Its reporting has served to counter biased narratives from major international outlets, providing visibility to historically marginalized communities.
As it celebrates 20 years, teleSUR reflects not only on its achievements but also on its role in a rapidly evolving media world shaped by artificial intelligence and the “dictatorship of the algorithm.”
A Dream Made Struggle
teleSUR’s founding vision was shaped by pivotal events, including the 2002 coup attempt against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez—a political overthrow that, according to Villegas, was also a “media coup.” This highlighted the need for a homegrown media outlet capable of telling Latin America’s story without the filter of corporate media.
In January 2005, Venezuela’s Ministry of Communication launched “La Nueva Television del Sur” (teleSUR), which began broadcasting on July 24 of that year from the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas. Initially supported by Cuba and Nicaragua, the project later received backing from progressive governments in Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina.
teleSUR was created to offer an informational alternative that would showcase the spiritual, cultural, and political richness of Latin America and the Caribbean while promoting the vision of a united “Great Homeland.” Its launch coincided with a wave of progressive governments and regional integration efforts, such as ALBA, PetroCaribe, and the Bank of the South.
The platform’s relevance grew during events like the 2009 coup against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, which underscored the need for an outlet capable of countering Washington-driven narratives and amplifying the voices of the oppressed.
“Our signal came under all kinds of attacks, and we had to resist just as the Cuban Revolution has done for all these years,” Villegas said.
20 Years of Stories
Two decades later, teleSUR navigates a radically transformed media environment. Digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and algorithm-driven content shape an increasingly complex landscape where the struggle over narrative is more intense than ever.
In a recent special edition of “Round Table” aired by Cuban television, Patricia Villegas joined Venezuelan Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas Poljak and journalist Ignacio Ramonet to reflect on teleSUR’s past, present, and future.
Villegas noted that the current challenge is adapting to new technologies without abandoning the core principles behind the project. “We could rest on our awards and recognition, but there is still so much to do, despite everything we’ve already achieved,” she said. Minister Villegas Poljak added, “If teleSUR didn’t exist, it would have to be invented. History would have demanded a tool like this.”
In this context, Villegas emphasized that teleSUR must “sign a contract with hope”—not as fiction, but because “hope always exists in the world, even though the media only show the apocalypse.”
Beyond technology, she stressed the importance of collaboration and building networks with local and community platforms to create shared agendas. The goal remains: to counter the hegemony of corporate media through cooperation and people-centered communication, beyond the web and social media—face to face with the public.
Despite sanctions, attacks, and criticism, teleSUR continues to operate from its headquarters in Caracas and Havana, now supported mainly by Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, following Argentina’s withdrawal in 2016 and Uruguay’s in 2020. Its high-definition signal launched in 2017, and its English-language edition began in 2014. The platform also maintains a presence across social networks, websites, and chat services like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Its commitment to communication from the South—grounded in hope, resistance, and love for humanity—remains unwavering. As Villegas said, the brand represents a value that, if distorted or watered down, would result in “a loss far greater than not getting likes.”
According to Ramonet, teleSUR is “at the forefront of an alternative understanding of the world—it’s the Global South’s perspective on how the world is built.”
Covering History in Real Time
The announcement of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s death on March 5, 2013, stunned Latin America and the Caribbean. teleSUR, shaped by his vision for alternative media, became the leading outlet documenting this historic moment.
Its coverage emphasized Chavez’s human and political legacy, particularly his connection to the region’s most vulnerable. The network showed how millions across Latin America and beyond paid tribute to a leader who embodied an era of sweeping social and political change.
For teleSUR, this moment also sparked reflection on its own role in the media ecosystem. The platform demonstrated its capacity to report with sensitivity and depth, prioritizing people’s perspectives over elite narratives.
The death of Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Nov. 25, 2016, was another turning point. A key intellectual force behind teleSUR’s founding, Castro’s passing marked a moment of profound significance. From Havana, correspondents documented the national mourning, collecting testimony from Latin American leaders, intellectuals, and everyday citizens.
In 2013, the election of Pope Francis—Jorge Mario Bergoglio—marked a new era in the Catholic Church, especially given his progressive views and focus on social justice. teleSUR closely followed his papacy, highlighting his messages on poverty, migration, and environmental protection that resonated deeply in Latin America.
The outlet documented the Pope’s trips to Latin America, during which he addressed inequality, violence, and the need for a “Church on the move.” teleSUR emphasized how Francis’s calls to build an “economy at the service of life” provided a moral counterpoint to neoliberalism and centered the voices of the region’s people.
A Platform for Justice
teleSUR’s coverage of the climate crisis, particularly the 2015 Paris Climate Summit, spotlighted the political dimensions of environmental change. The outlet focused on how vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected, forging a narrative that links environmental justice with social and economic inequality.
Through interviews with activists, scientists, and community leaders, teleSUR stressed that the Global South—though least responsible for greenhouse gas emissions—bears the brunt of climate change.
The 2014 disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa in Mexico remains a central story for teleSUR. Ten years later, the platform continues to support the families’ fight for truth and justice.
teleSUR’s persistent coverage has challenged official narratives and included the production of documentaries like Ayotzinapa, Memoria, Resistencia, which won the Breach-Valdez Prize. The outlet has used such work to spotlight impunity and keep demands for justice alive.
Voices from the Margins
teleSUR has also been a pioneering voice for feminist movements, covering landmark events such as Argentina’s “Ni Una Menos” and the March 8, 2017, international women’s strike.
Its reports showed how Latin American feminism has mobilized millions for equal pay, reproductive rights, and recognition of caregiving labor, becoming a powerful force for change.
Coverage of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona’s life and death was particularly symbolic. For teleSUR, Maradona represented more than an athlete—he was a cultural and political icon who embodied popular resistance.
teleSUR explored how Maradona used his celebrity to champion just causes and oppose imperialism, highlighting his outspoken support for Chavez and Maduro and his critiques of neoliberalism.
The program De Zurda, co-hosted by Maradona, became a global phenomenon, with De Zurda Viajero debuting during the 2015 Copa America. teleSUR was the platform where Maradona became a “soldier for just causes,” inspired by Chavez.
Over 20 years, teleSUR has used sports as a lens to explore broader social and political realities, going beyond scores to tell stories of athletes, communities, and the struggles behind the scenes.
This critical approach was evident in coverage of the America Cup, World Cup, Olympics, and Pan American Games. teleSUR highlighted not only the athletes but also the social movements and justice struggles surrounding these events, portraying sports as tools of resistance, identity, and transformation.
The network has also spotlighted athletes who face structural barriers, discrimination, or use their platforms to advocate for progressive causes.
Through special reports and documentaries, teleSUR has shown that sports are more than spectacle—they are cultural expressions, pathways to dignity, and battlegrounds for collective identity, especially in regions where sports offer millions a path toward overcoming adversity.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: teleSUR
