Enterprising reporter Nathaniel Hoffman of the Boise Weekly is in Cuba covering the Idaho trade mission – even though Gov. Butch Otter’s office was told it couldn’t bring any reporters along. “We were told that the Cubans were not going to allow any reporters in,” said Otter’s press secretary, Jon Hanian. But, he said, “Nathaniel Hoffman got a visa. … We were told they’ve turned down like 2,000 media requests, including from Barbara Walters, to get into Cuba.”

Hoffman, who is fluent in Spanish, has been to Cuba before. He’s also reported for a variety of news organizations from other hot spots around the world including Gaza, Beirut, Mexico City, and even Nampa, Idaho. His wife, Tara, reported this afternoon, “I just got an email that said ‘I made it.’ He’s pretty excited.”

---

---