In 2003, soon after I photographed this story, the Cuban government arrested these journalists and sentenced them to prison terms of between 14 and 27 years for conspiring against the Revolution. Thanks to pressure from international defenders of press freedom, they have since been released.

Along with other members of the foreign press who had met Néstor Baguer, founder of the Independent Press Agency of Cuba, I was shocked to learn during the trials of these journalists that he was actually a state security agent. His testimony during the proceedings was used to convict 20 people who he denounced as “information terrorists”. Mr. Baguer is seen twice in this essay: using a manual typewriter while wearing his trademark beret, and walking through Havana at night.

This story for GEO was written by the extraordinary journalist, Carmen Butta, and it was a finalist for the Hansel Meith prize in Germany.