Fernando González, AP head of Caribbean news, dies in Cuba

MEXICO CITY – Fernando González, who spent decades covering and directing large stories for The Associated Press crossed Latin America, from papal visits to borderline skirmishes, hurricanes and hostage standoffs, has died successful Havana.

González, 60, died astatine his location aboriginal Monday aft suffering a bosom attack, Cuba's forensic medicine manager said.

Gregarious and seemingly inexhaustible, González, known for his trademark agelong grey ponytail, was particularly beardown and compassionate successful situation situations, some covering the quality and tirelessly organizing assistance erstwhile colleagues were sick oregon injured.

“Fernando represented the champion of AP. He was a terrific writer and loved the large stories," said AP Executive Editor Julie Pace. "He was besides a lukewarm and caring colleague, idiosyncratic whose interaction was felt crossed each corners of the organization. He volition beryllium dearly missed.”

Born successful Uruguay, González graduated from precocious schoolhouse successful Santiago, Chile, and past attended the University of Miami. He worked for a section vigor presumption earlier yet moving into quality production, often freelancing for The Associated Press successful Latin America.

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González joined the AP afloat clip successful 2002 arsenic elder shaper for tv quality successful Havana. He moved to Washington, D.C., successful 2014 arsenic determination video exertion for Latin America and the Caribbean and past to Mexico City arsenic the AP's lawman quality manager for the portion successful 2016. González returned to Cuba successful 2020 arsenic quality manager for the Caribbean and Andes.

Among the large stories helium covered were the 1996 hostage siege astatine the Japanese ambassador’s residence successful Peru, Hurricane Mitch’s devastating interaction connected Central America successful 1998, and the 2004 coup that overthrew Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

In 2007 González reported from Antarctica connected the sojourn of U.N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

González besides covered 3 papal trips to Cuba by St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, arsenic good arsenic President Barack Obama’s historical sojourn successful 2016 and the decease of erstwhile Cuban President Fidel Castro aboriginal that year.

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Anita Snow, who reopened AP’s Havana bureau successful 1999 aft a astir 30-year absence, praised González arsenic “a large journalist,” calling him, "an adjacent amended quality being: warm, generous and consistently kind.”

“And helium astir apt knew Latin America amended than anyone,” said Snow, who worked with González successful Cuba and Mexico. She is presently an AP writer successful Phoenix.

Chris Gillette, elder video shaper for the AP successful Brazil and a precocious schoolhouse classmate of González, agreed.

“He was a truly bully radical person, and precise charming, truthful helium was capable to get into places others mightiness find challenging — a existent raconteur, amiable and smart,” Gillette said.

Nico Maounis, caput of peculiar quality events for AP's broadcast services, recalled Gonzalez arsenic the consummate woody broker, gaining the AP entree to everyone from presidents and different precocious officials to the elemental antheral connected the street.

“What was helium similar arsenic a person? He was outgoing, helium was cosmopolitan, helium was funny, helium was a diplomat, helium was serious, a comic and a joker. He was everything,” Maounis said.

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Longtime AP lensman Enric Marti summed up González's compassion for those little fortunate, noting however helium continued to patronize his favourite Mexico City restaurant, Lucille, adjacent during the pandemic erstwhile others stayed away, tipping the waiters handsomely.

"He kept going and raised wealth for the waiters. ... They fundamentally had nary tips and nary money," said Marti, AP's lawman manager of photography/global enterprise. “Whenever I was successful municipality we would conscionable successful Lucille. It was Fernando’s bar.”

González is survived by his woman Lisa, children Maria Linda and Nicolas, and 3 grandchildren, arsenic good arsenic his parents.

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