Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Havana (dpa) - Cuba refused entry to more than 150 foreign journalists trying to enter the country as tourists this week in order to report on the the illness of President Fidel Castro, diplomatic sources in Havana indicated Thursday.
As in other countries, journalists need a work visa to report legally from Cuba.
"Across the whole world there is currently great interest (in Cuba), but nowhere on the planet can a journalist report with a tourist visa," said a representative of the International Press Centre (CPI), which relies on the Cuban Foreign Ministry to gain access to the country.
The Havana source told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that "no journalists have been expelled nor was there a restrictive "information ring" for foreign professionals. But the authorities do require journalists to request a temporary work visa if they wish to report from Cuba for certain periods, and to specify the dates and objectives of their presence on the island.
Fidel Castro, aged 79, handed over power to his brother Raul on Monday, on a temporary basis, in order to undergo surgery for intestinal bleeding.
The Cuban leader, who has ruled the communist country without interruption since leading a revolution in 1959, said he will need several weeks to recover.
In this context, the Cuban government stressed Thursday that the leadership role of the Communist Party would continue.
The party newspaper "Granma" published a speech by Raul Castro on July 1, saying the party would be the only worthy successor of Fidel.
Raul Castro has not spoken or been seen in public since being handed power Monday.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
