By Ronal Quiñones
HAVANA TIMES – Last week, I concluded my commentary by stating that the Cuban Communist Party Central Committee would go to great lengths to ensure that the team from the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (Fepcube) was vetoed from the 2024 Intercontinental Series, scheduled from January 26 to February 1 in Barranquilla, Colombia.
However, the pressure from the Cuban government was so intense that the tournament was not even able to start, and the play ball announcement was suspended.
Since the participation of the independent team was announced, pressure began on the Colombian authorities and the organizers, the Team Rentería USA Foundation, led by former MLB player Edgar Rentaría.
The official Cuban Baseball Federation launched an offensive with statements accusing Fepcube of usurping its functions, etc. But it went further, becoming a matter of state, especially after Colombia found itself in a vulnerable position when the hosting rights for the 2027 Pan American Games were revoked. The government of Gustavo Petro had failed to meet payment deadlines and was trying to regain the rights through any means. The support of one of the main participants (Cuba) in continental events throughout history was invaluable.
In an official statement, the Colombian government said the use of patriotic symbols by the Fepcube team was “a clear infringement on the constitutional and sports rights of the Republic of Cuba.” To officially debut, the players decided to forgo using these symbols.
Although individuals associated with the team had intentions of singing the national anthem of Cuba even acapella, the most important thing was to be there and show up for the civic and social significance it held.
Cuban authorities thought that by touching something as sensitive as the flag, the project withdraw out of honor. However, they endured the provocation and accepted the conditions, even though internally they had no intention of complying, knowing that it was better to be expelled from the invitation-only event than not set foot on the field.
That’s why they also decided to change the team’s name, to deny the satisfaction to the Cuban government of claiming that they resigned prematurely.
This was not enough, and the coercion continued to the point where the dictatorship had to unmask itself in its eagerness to go to any lengths, even to destroy the organization of a sports tournament, simply to avoid the presence of an exile team. This particular case includes not only interested players not linked to any other Federation but also descendants of Cubans who want to be part of the project.
Team Rentería USA explained in their statement that the suspension was due to reasons beyond their control, simply because the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic Committee of Colombia did not give them the necessary approval. However, they clarified that those involved were willing to play, including the other invited teams: Colombia, Curacao, South Korea, the United States, and Japan.
It doesn’t matter if there’s no chicken for the population or flour for bread; there is a budget to sabotage a sports event. This is another example of how everything in this country revolves around politics, and winning a battle in that field is more important than providing food to the people.
An attempt was made to downplay the issue from Florida, as Fepcube’s general manager, the retired star pitcher Orlando ‘Duque’ Hernandez, stated in a press conference that it was an initiative of freedom, not politics, something entirely nonsensical.
He also said he would respect his official counterpart if they ever met on a baseball field, which also raised concerns among exiles. However, I suppose he meant it strictly in a sporting sense and with the knowledge, because he himself was in the “monster” and knows the players still living on the island are a kind of hostages who cannot say and do what they think when they put on the uniform with the four letters. Whether they are there by personal choice because they can resign from the selection is another debate because it must be understood that not everyone is willing to sacrifice their life for a cause.
Although the debate among emigrants is the least of the problems of this idea, it is not negligible because they are the ones who can support it in every way, both economically and emotionally. The supposed concessions made trying to ensure participation did not sit well in Miami, where there is also distrust in the sense that they may have been economically deceived. However, those involved claim that the costs come from their own pockets, and I personally believe them because several are millionaires and do not need this to enrich themselves.
I suppose that in some way, the statements that they intended to sing the anthem anyway reassure the Miami community because the most important thing is to make a presence, and the fact that they mobilized the repressive machinery to exert pressure is a clear indication of how much this project hurts.
The understandable personal pain of many exiles should not be an obstacle to carrying out this project, which is also a right that is currently denied to these players who do not want to represent the Cuban State and is their way of feeling Cuban.
For now, everything remains up in the air, and this should be used to smooth out the rough edges because the worst would be not to present for the battle.
Read more from Cuba here on Havana Times.
