Newsmax has officially taken control of two historic Miami radio stations—WAQI Radio Mambí and WQBA—from the Latino Media Network, a group with ties to progressive political figures and financiers, including George Soros. The purchase marks a dramatic reversal for the stations, which had long been conservative strongholds before their 2022 acquisition sparked outrage in Miami’s Cuban-American community.
A Return to Conservative Roots
Radio Mambí, in particular, was a cornerstone of anti-communist and conservative Spanish-language talk radio for decades, serving Miami’s heavily Cuban and Cuban-American audience. After Latino Media Network’s takeover, the station lost much of its top talent, and WQBA ceased original programming entirely, rebroadcasting content from the U.S.-backed Radio Martí instead. Newsmax’s acquisition, finalized this week, signals an effort to revive the stations’ original mission.
“Radio Mambí is an institution,” Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said in a statement. “For decades, it has been the voice of a community that understands the value of freedom because it has fought to preserve it.” The conservative network paid $1.26 million for WAQI and $540,000 for WQBA, a fraction of the $60 million Latino Media Network spent to acquire them alongside 16 other stations in 2022.
Backlash and Political Firestorm
The original sale to Latino Media Network—founded by former Obama administration officials Stephanie Valencia and Jess Morales Rocketto—triggered protests in Miami, with listeners and Cuban exile groups accusing the new owners of attempting to silence conservative voices. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis even ran ads opposing the transfer.
At the time, critics pointed to the group’s funding, which included Lakestar Finance, an investment firm linked to Soros Fund Management. Valencia defended the purchase, citing concerns about “disinformation” and pledging a shift toward “balanced journalism.” But the changes that followed alienated much of the stations’ core audience.
What’s Next for the Stations?
Newsmax, which currently produces radio content but doesn’t own stations, plans to “restore and enhance” WAQI and WQBA while expanding their reach. The move could reinvigorate Miami’s conservative Hispanic media landscape, which had viewed the stations’ leftward shift as a betrayal.
For now, the deal represents a major victory for critics of the 2022 sale—and a new chapter for two radio stations that have long been at the center of Miami’s political and cultural battles.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2026/11/11/newsmax-buys-historic-miami-anti-communist-radio-station-from-soros-linked-network/