Mauricio Lomonte

Mauricio Alberto Lomonte Suárez (born 10 June 1982), known professionally as Mauricio Lomonte, is a Cuban radio announcer and television host.

Lomonte started his broadcasting career in 2000 and later branched into television as host. He currently works for various radio stations such as Radio Reloj, Radio Taíno and Radio Progreso. Although he is mainly recognized among the Cuban public for hosting and presenting the television program “De la Gran Escena” since 2014.

Early life Mauricio Lomonte was born in Havana. He is of Italian descent on his father's side (that is the origin of his surname, Lomonte).

Until the age of one, Lomonte lived with his parents in the Havana municipality of Cerro, then he went to live with his grandmother, who raised and took care of him until he became an adult.

On November 13, 2010, fumigation was carried out to control a plague of mice in a cafeteria called La Arcada, next to the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television, but the fumigation gas entered the Radio Reloj booth through the air conditioning. Due to this, it was necessary to evict all the workers from the ICRT building during the morning. Lomonte had to be taken to an emergency medical room due to inhalation of the gas and was later released. The firefighters evacuated the building while several ICRT employees, with eye and throat discomfort, had to receive oxygen. The Radio Reloj announcers were temporarily moved to the Radio Rebelde booths until what happened was clarified. The incident was investigated by the police authorities. Although versions of a possible sabotage initially circulated, the evidence found in the place seemed to rule out that option.

During an interview made almost eighteen years after he started working in Radio Reloj, he said about his job: “It's hard work, because other than knowing the extent of this radio station, you have to talk for an entire hour, reading the news at first sight, without some preparation first, it takes a lot from the announcers, that's why it needs a lot of experience, focus and interpretation when being on air”.

Lomonte's career was bolstered when after participating on a TV casting, he was selected as an news anchor for the third emission of the National Television Newscast (NTV), at the same time he began working on Close Caption and signed up for the sign languages courses for the deaf and hypoacustic (hard of hearing) people.

Since 2011, he has been hosting SOS Planeta, a radio program that gives alerts about damage to the ecosystem and the danger they pose to biodiversity. It also covers other subjects related to art, philosophy, economy, history trivia and general knowledge. From this radio program, Lomonte also covers news and talks frequently about the COVID-19 pandemic, including the latest advances in related scientific investigations. The SOS Planeta program is broadcast by Radio Taíno, the FM of Cuba.

Views on his profession Lomonte has stated that to him locution is "to show yourself as you are, know how to reach those who will listen to you and above all, you have to be humble, simple and receptive, give your best and know how to reach your audience”.