More Cuban Sports Stars Defect

By Ethel C. Fenig

Stardom at home, danger to family left behind plus propaganda drilled into their heads against the US since birth, once again didn't stop two Cuban soccer players, in the US for the World Cup soccer qualifying game, from defecting to the US. They join six members of Cuba's under-23 soccer team who defected in March.

And there are scores of other sports players and plain citizens who are willing to sacrifice all and leave their homeland behind to come the imperialist US.

Upon news of the latest defections

Cuba's state television, blaming its "imperial" foe, the United States, said midfielder Pedro Faife, 24, and forward Reynier Alcantara, 26, had "betrayed the unity of their team and given in to the temptation of the empire's money.

Meanwhile in Cuba

Cuba is limiting how much basic fruits and vegetables people can buy at farmers' markets, irritating some customers but ensuring there's enough—barely—to go around.

Hmmm, so maybe Faife and Alcantara were not betraying their team or their country but had loyally reasoned that two less mouths to feed in Cuba would increase the rations for others.

Yeah, that's it.

Rick Moran adds:

In the last few years, more and more Cuban baseball players have sought out the opportunity to defect while playing in various tournaments in Latin America.

Raul Castro finds himself in a huge bind. In order to prove the socialist superiority of Cuban baseball teams, he must compete against national teams from other Latin American countries. Nations like Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico feature many players in the Major Leagues in the US and competing against them - and the Cubans compete quite well - only serves to give the opportunity for defection to his star players who know full well they can become rich beyond their dreams by signing with a Major League club.

Hence, even though the Cubans go so far as to have secret police in their dugouts during games and constantly watching their players when they are overseas playing in these tournaments, one or two always seem able to slip away to freedom.

It's got to drive Raul and Fidel nuts.