David Deutschmann, founder of Ocean Press, published the diaries of Che Guevara.
David Deutschmann

CUBA is a long way from Flemington and this week it seemed particularly far away. David Deutschmann was watching the news report of the launch in Havana on Tuesday of Diary of a Combatant, the third volume of diaries by that iconic revolutionary of the 1960s, Che Guevara. ''I was watching in Melbourne a launch in Havana of a book published by us.''
Mr Deutschmann runs Ocean Press, a left-wing press that he set up more than 20 years ago ''to change the world''.
The self-confessed product of the '60s produced a raft of books about Latin America. About 15 years ago in Cuba he met Aleida March, Che's widow. ''A few years later she and I decided to do the first book together.'' Global Justice, a collection of articles by Che, appeared in 2001 and was the beginning of a fruitful association.
''Eventually she decided to give us world rights to all his writings. The family doesn't get a cent from it; the money all goes to Cuban social programs.''
When Ocean Press republished The Motorcycle Diaries in 2003, a year before the film adaptation came out, it was a huge success. More than 3 million copies sold. ''As a left-wing press, we weren't in it for the money. But all of a sudden we were talking about millions of dollars.''
He decided to set up a Spanish-language publisher and imprint, Ocean Sur, which is now based in Mexico City.
The income from Che's books also subsidises the cost of Ocean Sur books in South America and the company is committed to a number of cultural projects in El Salvador and Guatemala.
Ocean Press uses its money to subsidise Che's books. An edition of The Motorcycle Diaries that sells for $15 in the US will sell for only $2 in Bolivia.
''I do believe Che would have wanted that. After all, he died in Bolivia as part of the war - as he saw it - to liberate South America.''
Mr Deutschmann says the The Age was lucky to find him in Australia.
''I've spent most of the past five years in Latin America. I'm almost an expert on bookshops there.''
He's still a friend of Che's widow. ''I have had a close working relationship with Aleida but also a close personal relationship, I think. I have been with her when she's talked about Che, cried about him and we have hugged together.''
He has persuaded her to write a book, to be called ''Remembering Che: My Life with Che Guevara''.
Che's old comrade, Fidel Castro, is using his downtime to write his memoirs. Ocean Press hopes to publish them next year.