'Sun-Sentinel' Reporter Sanchez Only U.S. Newspaper Journo In Cuba As Castro Resigns

By: Mark Fitzgerald One of the biggest stories for Cuban Americans in Florida belongs exclusively to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Ray Sanchez, the only U.S. newspaper correspondent reporting from Cuba.

"He's on the street now, ground-pounding, updating the story on the Web, he'll be blogging, and appearing on local TV and radio as time permits," Sun-Sentinel Editor Earl Maucker said Tuesday morning, about eight hours after the news broke that Cuban President Fidel Castro had resigned after 47 years of dictatorial rule.

The Sun-Sentinel and its Tribune Co. sibling, the Chicago Tribune, have the only two U.S. newspaper bureaus that Communist authorities permit. The Chicago Tribune spot, however, has been vacant in the months since the government declined to renew the visa of reporter Gary Marx because of unspecified "problems" with his reporting.

And Maucker himself, who has been a frequent visitor to Havana in his capacity as Sun-Sentinel editor, has been denied a visa to travel to the island -- solely because he is now the president of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

"They told me specifically that as long as I was president of IAPA, they wouldn't give me a visa," Maucker said. "They said it wasn't anything personal and that as soon as my term was up I would be welcomed back as editor of the Sun-Sentinel."

Miami-based IAPA has been a constant critic of Castro's authoritarian rule. It elected an imprisoned Cuban journalist as the chair of one of its committees, and has frequently called for the release of the approximately 20 independent journalists still in jail following a 2003 mass arrest.

From Havana, Sanchez is reporting that the mood is calm, with many saying that it is good Castro is stepping down because of poor health. As part of his coverage, he recorded a podcast at 11:30 local time.

In July of 2006, Castro, 81, handed over power to his brother Raul, the nation's 76-year-old defense minister, following what is believed to be surgery for an intestinal infection. In the year since, he has occasionally been shown in photographs looking gaunt and frail.

The Sun-Sentinel will be updating the story frequently on its Web site, but decided against printing an extra edition. ?While this is very interesting, it is not nearly the news story it would have been a year ago,? Maucker said. ?As we quote one Cuban exile as saying, ?Same dog, different collar.??

Sanchez has not had any problem from authorities reporting at this critical stage, Maucker said. "In fact we just had another reporter there, Doreen Hemlock, and she said it's more open now than it has been in any previous time," he said.

Speaking as IAPA president, Maucker said he didn't believe the resignation will make much difference in loosing the restrictions on freedom of expression on the island.