https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/12/27/cuban-mystery-writers/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usFri, 12 Jun 2026 03:40:30 -0400<![CDATA[Fausta emailed this morning to ask if I knew Cuban mystery writer Jos&eacute; Latour who wrote his way to freedom, according to the WSJ. The answer is almost. I knew several Cuban mystery writers whom I met when I was helping form an organization called the International Association of Crime Writers in the eighties. We used to guess which of them were members of Cuban intelligence &#8211; probably they all were to one degree or another; it was the only way to be allowed to international conferences &#8211; but they clearly weren&#8217;t happy members of Cuban intelligence. Every single one of them, even the ones publicly spouting the most Stalinist rhetoric, left Cuba, sooner or later, as I recall. One of them just disappeared one day in Madrid, to resurface years later as a European. Several are now living in Spain, a happier place with, alas, more crowded beaches. I became less active in the organization about the time Jos&acute; joined, hence I never met him. I was told he was a fascinating man and a fine writer.]]>Tue, 27 Dec 2005 07:42:22 -0500<![CDATA[Roger L. Simon]]>https://pjmedia.com/roger-l-simon/2005/12/27/cuban-mystery-writers-n210839