ˌpräpəˈɡandə/ noun. information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.

It is a common belief that the Revolución cubana was won by Fidel Castro’s skilled use of propaganda and not by military prowess. Fidel was able to bend the ear of the foreign and domestic press and make his military force appear much larger and more powerful than it really was.

Though the revolution ended in 1959, the propaganda war did not. The Cuban government still controls all newspapers, magazines, and broadcasting facilities. Of the four television channels available in Cuba, one channel is dedicated solely to propaganda broadcasting. Billboards, graffiti, and other signage with pro-Cuba messages and sentiment run rife in the streets with law enforcement and community groups used to minimize any expression of a contradictory viewpoint.

Finding vintage 1950’s/60’s comic books, such as this one, featuring Fidel as the heroic protagonist are actually quite common in Havana if you know where to look for it.