Oct 01, 2007, 12:54 AM
(I know this is a bit stale, been traveling & posting not easy. I was following the puglists' path in the news quite avidly for awhile. Lost in Brazil for 11 days! And gained flab too! in Rio where extra poundage is a capitol offense! Yup, know exactly how they felt--- SHAMED to set foot on the scale.
Wish I had a little camcorder trained on los boxers while they got "lost" in Rio.
Boys, it don't get any better than that)
Cuba's Hold On Its Citizens
Guillermo I. Martínez Special Correspondent
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
16 August 2007
Forty seven years ago, August 13, the German Democratic Republic began
building the Berlin wall. Recently revealed documents from the East German
secret police confirmed what the world knew for decades: guards had orders
to shoot to kill anyone who tried crossing over to the west.
For 48 years Cuba has had a similar albeit more "humane" policy against
those artists, athletes, or intellectuals who dare flee the island's
monopolistic control over those who have sufficient talent to succeed in
international competitions.
All Cubans, but particularly those who can bring pride to the communist
regime, belong to the government. They cannot travel without government
permission. They never have their travel documents with them. Relatives of
those who travel remain behind as hostages, in case someone dares to
misbehave.
In Cuba, those who do are called the desaparecidos - those who have
disappeared. When news they have deserted in Puerto Rico, Latin America,
Europe, or the United States is first known, Cuban media showers them with
epithets. They are mercenaries, traitors who betrayed their fatherland.
Then the benefits granted their families for being famous for Cuba
disappear. They pay for what their father, brother, husband, or son did. And
the athletes themselves are never to be heard from again. Their records,
their achievements on the island and in prior international competitions are
never mentioned again.
Four members of Cuba's delegation to the Pan American Games in Rio de
Janeiro this year tried to defect. Rafael Capote, a handball player and
Lázaro Lamelas, a trainer on the gymnastic team, were successful. Capote
said he had no quarrel with the revolution, just his freedom to play
handball in the international professional circuit.
Boxers Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara were not successful in their
efforts, although what happened to them is confusing at best. Neither of the
boxers showed up at the weighing ceremony before their last fight. They
simply disappeared. Both were favorites to win the Pan Am Gold medal in
their respective weight class. That much we know.
After that we have two versions. According to German promoters in contact
with the fighters, the two men were immediately notified by their families
in Cuba that they had been thrown out of their homes and had no place to go.
They said the fighters signed professional contracts and were awarded cash
advances.
But the threats from Cuba prevailed. The boxers remained at large in Rio for
11 days and finally turned themselves in to Brazilian authorities, who
within 48 hours, had turned them over to Cuban officials for a quick trip
back home.
In the short lapse of time between the two boxers' escapade in Rio, and the
time they turned themselves in to Brazilian authorities, the whole Cuban Pan
American team was ordered back to Havana - 24 hours before the Pan American
games ended. Some athletes were not present at ceremonies where they would
have received medals.
Nobody knows who ordered the team back to Havana. Some say the order came
from Raul Castro. Others say it came from Fidel himself.
Once back in Cuba the boxers themselves expressed remorse and said they had
never intended to defect; that they had simply gone out to have a good time;
had gained too much weight and were ashamed to show up at the weighing in
ceremony in such condition. Period. Their story ends there.
Cuba, however, still had more to say. The two boxers were expelled from the
Cuban team and barred from fighting in the island or representing the
country in any international competition. Furthermore, the government said
Cuban athletes would not be present at the next international event to be
held in the United States.
Forty seven years ago, subways from East Berlin were stopped from crossing
over into the West and Germany became two separate countries until the
Berlin Wall itself was torn down in November of 1989.
For 48 years, Cuba has controlled who can and who cannot leave the island.
Leaving without permission is a crime punishable by imprisonment. We know of
incidents where Cuban guards have shot to kill people who attempted to flee
the island in incidents that would embarrass the regime. To our knowledge,
however, there are no secret orders to shoot to kill anyone who tries to
leave.
What they have may be a more cruel form of punishment for those who manage
to leave and more so for those who fail. They simply disappear. One day they
are a star, the next they don't exist.
Wish I had a little camcorder trained on los boxers while they got "lost" in Rio.
Boys, it don't get any better than that)
Cuba's Hold On Its Citizens
Guillermo I. Martínez Special Correspondent
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
16 August 2007
Forty seven years ago, August 13, the German Democratic Republic began
building the Berlin wall. Recently revealed documents from the East German
secret police confirmed what the world knew for decades: guards had orders
to shoot to kill anyone who tried crossing over to the west.
For 48 years Cuba has had a similar albeit more "humane" policy against
those artists, athletes, or intellectuals who dare flee the island's
monopolistic control over those who have sufficient talent to succeed in
international competitions.
All Cubans, but particularly those who can bring pride to the communist
regime, belong to the government. They cannot travel without government
permission. They never have their travel documents with them. Relatives of
those who travel remain behind as hostages, in case someone dares to
misbehave.
In Cuba, those who do are called the desaparecidos - those who have
disappeared. When news they have deserted in Puerto Rico, Latin America,
Europe, or the United States is first known, Cuban media showers them with
epithets. They are mercenaries, traitors who betrayed their fatherland.
Then the benefits granted their families for being famous for Cuba
disappear. They pay for what their father, brother, husband, or son did. And
the athletes themselves are never to be heard from again. Their records,
their achievements on the island and in prior international competitions are
never mentioned again.
Four members of Cuba's delegation to the Pan American Games in Rio de
Janeiro this year tried to defect. Rafael Capote, a handball player and
Lázaro Lamelas, a trainer on the gymnastic team, were successful. Capote
said he had no quarrel with the revolution, just his freedom to play
handball in the international professional circuit.
Boxers Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara were not successful in their
efforts, although what happened to them is confusing at best. Neither of the
boxers showed up at the weighing ceremony before their last fight. They
simply disappeared. Both were favorites to win the Pan Am Gold medal in
their respective weight class. That much we know.
After that we have two versions. According to German promoters in contact
with the fighters, the two men were immediately notified by their families
in Cuba that they had been thrown out of their homes and had no place to go.
They said the fighters signed professional contracts and were awarded cash
advances.
But the threats from Cuba prevailed. The boxers remained at large in Rio for
11 days and finally turned themselves in to Brazilian authorities, who
within 48 hours, had turned them over to Cuban officials for a quick trip
back home.
In the short lapse of time between the two boxers' escapade in Rio, and the
time they turned themselves in to Brazilian authorities, the whole Cuban Pan
American team was ordered back to Havana - 24 hours before the Pan American
games ended. Some athletes were not present at ceremonies where they would
have received medals.
Nobody knows who ordered the team back to Havana. Some say the order came
from Raul Castro. Others say it came from Fidel himself.
Once back in Cuba the boxers themselves expressed remorse and said they had
never intended to defect; that they had simply gone out to have a good time;
had gained too much weight and were ashamed to show up at the weighing in
ceremony in such condition. Period. Their story ends there.
Cuba, however, still had more to say. The two boxers were expelled from the
Cuban team and barred from fighting in the island or representing the
country in any international competition. Furthermore, the government said
Cuban athletes would not be present at the next international event to be
held in the United States.
Forty seven years ago, subways from East Berlin were stopped from crossing
over into the West and Germany became two separate countries until the
Berlin Wall itself was torn down in November of 1989.
For 48 years, Cuba has controlled who can and who cannot leave the island.
Leaving without permission is a crime punishable by imprisonment. We know of
incidents where Cuban guards have shot to kill people who attempted to flee
the island in incidents that would embarrass the regime. To our knowledge,
however, there are no secret orders to shoot to kill anyone who tries to
leave.
What they have may be a more cruel form of punishment for those who manage
to leave and more so for those who fail. They simply disappear. One day they
are a star, the next they don't exist.