Political undertones hard to ignore as Cuban team arrives in Miami for World Baseball Classic

MIAMI – Members of the Cuban nationwide baseball workforce arrived in South Florida in a single day forward of the subsequent spherical of the World Baseball Basic.

After their huge win in Australia, Group Cuba will now should battle it out within the coronary heart of the Cuban exile.

Orlando Gutierrez of the Cuban Resistance Meeting stated this isn’t simply any sport and anticipate protests surrounding their go to.

“I anticipate to see actually good Cuban baseball gamers, play a sport that Cubans adore,” Gutierrez stated. “To place forth the voice of these folks in Cuba who’re in jail, who’re persecuted.”

Gutierrez argues that for many years the Cuban authorities has used sports activities to unfold propaganda and political affect.

“We now have nothing towards the gamers,” he stated. “They’re athletes competing in a significant athletic sport competitors and we don’t reject them. We reject the regime which controls them, and the regime which is represented on this world occasion.”

As for the gamers, Gutierrez argues that being in Miami might be extremely tense as they’re beneath immense scrutiny from the Cuban authorities as Cuban athletes prior to now have used related occasions to defect.

“I’ve little doubt that in the event that they have been to defect, their households again at house would endure important penalties,” stated retired College of Miami professor and Cuba knowledgeable Andy Gomez.

However the sport will go on and a big police presence is predicted so as to make certain everyone seems to be secure.

“We simply ask everybody to please respect everybody’s opinion,” stated Miami Police Capt. Freddie Cruz. “We dwell in a free nation. We gained’t tolerate violence.”