World News

World current affairs topics that had no direct connection to Romania were typically placed toward the end of the newsreel. Although the Sahia Studio lacked international correspondents, it maintained relationships with foreign newsreels, exchanging footage and adding commentary that reflected the perspective of the state producing it. The struggle for the liberation of former colonies was a recurring theme in the Sahia newsreel, often presented through a series of brief segments marked by the often violent language of the time. This is evident in these two short sub-topics, one from Indonesia and the other from Cuba.

In 1963, with the support of a significant portion of the international community and despite opposition from the United States and its Western allies, Indonesia regained the West Irian territories from the Netherlands. The newsreel highlights the figure of the Indonesian President Ahmed Sukarno, the leader of the non-alignment movement, who had led the fight for independence.

In the second clip, footage from communist Havana captures a large demonstration led by Fidel Castro, directed against Cuba’s main ideological adversary, the United States. This protest occurred in response to statements made by Dean Rusk, the U.S. Secretary of State, at a conference of Latin American countries held in Punta del Este (Uruguay). Rusk called on the nations of the continent to adopt an anti-Cuban resolution that would impose economic sanctions on the island. The commentator of the newsreel quotes two iconic slogans seen on the demonstrators’ banners: “¡Patria o Muerte!” (Homeland or Death) and “¡Venceremos!” (We will conquer!). (MB, AB)