2008 Unity Conference : » Es Difícil Reportar Desde Cuba

Es Difícil Reportar Desde Cuba

Friday, July 25, 2008

Por Cindy Von Quednow
The UNITY News

Ex corresponsales los principales medios de Estados Unidos que laboraron en Cuba consideran el país un de los lugares más difíciles de reportar, por la secretividad del régimen y el constante acoso de los periodistas.

Los panelistas dijeron durante su conversatorio en la convencion de Unitjy 2008 que dos cosas son necesarias para reportar desde Cuba.

“La moneda más valiosa en Cuba es la información y como la consigues”, dijo Cecelia Vaisman productora de la emisora de radio “The Big Read Mexico”, durante el panel “Covering Cuba: Sin Pelos en la Lengua”. Es que, en su opinión, “la información es poder”, añadió.

Los otros panelistas, los ex corresponsales en La Habana del Chicago Tribune, Michael Martínez y Gary Marx, así como Frances Robles, del Miami Herald, hablaron sobre sus experiencias en Cuba como reporteros, la cobertura después que el gobernante Raúl Castro asumió el poder, hace casi dos años y “escasa” la libertad de prensa en el país antillano.

Charles Serrano, de Taíno Caribbean Services, una compañía que envía ayuda humanitaria a la isla y promueve viajes de periodistas y músicos, fue muy critico de la cobertura sobre Cuba que dan los medios de comunicación en Estados Unidos.

“Los medios no dieron la información retrospectiva cuando escribían sobre lo que estaba sucediendo en Cuba. Ubícame, dame el contexto para entender lo que está pasando”, comentó Serrano, refiriéndose a la cobertura en los primeros días de Castro.

Vaisman y Marx, explicaron que la única manera de saber y reportar la verdad en Cuba es estableciendo confianza con la gente, lo cual ellos lograron después de vivir en la isla por cinco años, a partir del 2002. Marx, fue el primer corresponsal fijo del Chicago Tribune que se instaló en la isla, después que el gobierno cubano permitió la apertura limitada de oficina de prensa estadounidenses.

“No hay manera de saber lo que pasa porque la gente sólo dice la verdad si confía en uno”, dijo Marx, antes de añadir que pudo establecer esas relaciones con extranjeros que tenían contacto con el entorno de los hermanos Castro.

Mientras Marx trabajaba en Cuba con visa, Vaisman tuvo que ejercer su carrera sin ella. Esta informalidad le permitió establecer nexos de confianza con cubanos, lo cual condujo a la realización de un documental, con ayuda oficial.

La pareja explicó que ser periodista extranjero en Cuba no es una tarea fácil, ya que los vigilan constantemente, sus historias son escrutadas por funcionarios del gobierno y siempre existe la posibilidad de que lo boten del país.

En el 2007, un funcionario gubernamental llamó a Marx a su oficina y le dijo que el gobierno de la Isla entendía que su cobertura de prensa no era necesaria. Le dieron tres meses para que los hijos terminaran el curso escolar. Después, la familia regresó a Chicago.

“Siempre existe la posibilidad [de la expulsión], pero quieren plantar la idea en tu cabeza para que uno mismo se censure” señaló Marx.

Vaisman y Marx están trabajando en un documental y un libro sobre sus experiencias en Cuba, pero saben que tienen que tener mucho cuidado en identificar a los entrevistados que critican el gobierno, porque los pueden poner en peligro.

Aunque Serrano y Robles piensan que el gobierno de Castro traerá cambios a la isla y quizás mejores relaciones con Estados Unidos, Serrano no cree que haya una evolución en la situación de la prensa extranjera. “Creo que va ser igual. Raúl corrió a Gary, y no hay mucha esperanza a ningún lado”, enfatizó.

Ninguno de los periodistas que se presentaron en el panel siguen trabajando en Cuba, pero ofrecieron una perspectiva diferente que no se lee mucho en Estados Unidos por las restricciones que hay entre los dos países.

“Fue interesante escuchar lo que está pasando al otro lado [del estrecho de la Florida] porque no lo vemos a menudo. Veo como esa difícil reportar en una país extranjero, como Cuba, que tiene una relación tan inestable con Estados Unidos”, comentó Yadira Caro, miembro de NAHJ que asistió la charla.

topic: Industry Issues
tags: Cuba, international reporting

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