(NewsNation) — Independent journalist Nick Shirley said a reporting trip to Cuba turned into what he described as a “very dangerous” situation after he believes he was followed and nearly detained by authorities.
Shirley said that upon arriving in Cuba, officials confiscated his camera and audio equipment. He added that he and his team were then followed by what he believed were intelligence officers throughout their stay.
“When we noticed we were being followed back to our hotel room, we decided to leave that night,” Shirley told NewsNation. “When we tried sneaking out of the hotel at about 4 a.m., there was a two‑star general waiting for us and interrogated us about why we were leaving early.”
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He also said he was unaware that he and his team were staying at a hotel operated by the Cuban government — a type of accommodation that U.S. citizens are generally prohibited from using under federal restrictions.
Nick Shirley reports being followed by suspected intelligence officers
Shirley said a member of his team arranged the booking and that the website they used was the only option they found.
“Only two things could have happened: He could have let us leave or he could have kept us there in Cuba,” Shirley said.
Shirley said the officers questioned the group about the purpose of their visit, the video they were filming and the topics they were discussing, including communism.
“That’s why they ultimately came to us, because they were afraid we were going to show people the reality of Cuba,” he said.
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Shirley said he made the decision to go to Cuba because he has been “tracking the rise” of socialism and communism in the U.S., and then started to hear about the sanctions the Trump administration has put on Cuba and the statements made by them about the country.
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“I figured this could be my last chance of going there to do something before some kind of intervention,” he added.
Shirley said the general instructed them to wait for a taxi he had arranged, but when none arrived, he and his team left on foot, found another ride and made their way to the airport.
At the airport, Shirley said officials continued questioning members of his group before allowing them to board a flight back to the United States.
“It was a very dangerous, very risky situation to be in,” he said.
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