Castro Coming to Canada?

Cape Breton lawyer helping Castro’s son with national photo exhibition

By The Canadian Press
Tue. Feb 2 - 4:53 AM
SYDNEY — A lawyer from Nova Scotia with connections in Cuba has been asked by an agent for one of Fidel Castro’s sons to help provide exposure for a proposed Canadian tour of Alex Castro’s photographs.

Castro has been known to sell some of his pictures, said Tony Magliaro, but that’s not the main reason for the proposed tour.

"I don’t think he’d be adverse to that, but I think it’s more for exposure," the lawyer said.

"I think getting his work recognized, that’s more important."

Magliaro grew up in Sydney’s Whitney Pier neighbourhood, but his wife Ileana De La Torre is Cuban.

He said his family visits Cuba regularly, and the husband of his wife’s family doctor is acting as an agent for Alex Castro Soto del Valle, one of Fidel’s sons.

The agent, Rogelio Puentes Valdes, knew Magliaro was Canadian and sought his help organizing a Canadian tour, pressing him to look at an album of photographs last fall.

Magliaro said the pictures were nice, but he didn’t immediately recognize Alex Castro’s name.

"I was a little skeptical at first, but the skepticism soon vanished," said Magliaro, adding he met the younger Castro last fall in Havana.

Castro had always wanted to be a photographer, Magliaro said, but at his father’s insistence he studied engineering in Moscow. According to one media report, Castro worked as a computer programmer.

"There’s no question he’s a proud and loving son, but I think he’s also his own man and he loves to take photographs," said Magliaro.

Castro likes taking pictures of scenery and models, Magliaro said, and has captured images of famous people and world leaders including Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and Hu Jintao, general secretary of China’s Communist party.

Magliaro also said he’s impressed with the quality of Castro’s photographs.

"I’m not trained in that area, I have no expertise in that area, but in my opinion there’s something that stands out," he said. "I think this is his chosen career. He has a passion for this and I think it shows in his work."

Magliaro has started contacting some art galleries and is trying to gauge interest in a Canadian tour for Castro and his pictures, and possibly a U.S. tour as well, "although that might be a little more difficult, given the politics," he added.