Yahoo! June 21, 2001
Girl's Mom Dies After Dad Defects
By Vivian Sequera, Associated Press Writer
ARTEMISA, Cuba 21 (AP) - A 4-year-old Cuban girl's mother died a year after
her father defected to the United States, and her guardians hope to reunite the
child with her surviving parent - a story that recalls the case of Elian
Gonzalez.
Giselle Cordova's mother was killed in a motorcycle accident this week just
blocks from her home in Cuba. The girl's father, a doctor, lives in Miami,
having been granted asylum last summer after a dramatic defection from a medical
mission in Zimbabwe.
"She doesn't know that her mother died,'' said Tania Cordova, 30, the
sister of Dr. Leonel Cordova. "And she asks for her father.''
The chubby little girl with long hair and brown eyes sat quietly on her
aunt's lap Wednesday afternoon. Tania Cordova said her brother "adores''
his daughter and wants her to live with him in the United States.
Giselle's situation recalls that of Elian - the little boy who lost his
mother at sea during an illegal attempt to emigrate to the United States. Placed
temporarily with relatives in Miami, his Cuban father fought seven months for
Elian to be return to the communist island. They came home together a year ago
this month.
Leonel Cordova, 32, now living in Miami, earlier said that he had obtained
U.S. visas for his wife, Rosalba Gonzalez, 34, their daughter Giselle, and
Gonzalez's son by a previous union, Yusniel, 11. His telephone number in Miami
rang unanswered Wednesday afternoon.
Before Gonzalez's death, there had been no response to the family's request
for the approval needed from the communist government for the three to leave the
island. There was no immediate word on the status of that request since Gonzalez
has died.
Until a permanent situation is found for Giselle, "I would like to care
for her because the girl is without a father, and without a mother here,'' said
Tania Cordova.
The aunt said that when she learned of her sister-in-law's death on Sunday
she traveled to Havana to pick up the child and take her home with her to
Artemisa, about 30 miles west of Havana. Relatives on the mother's side of the
family also support the idea of sending the child to live with her father, she
said.
Leonel Cordova, a general practitioner, arrived in South Florida last August
after a two-month journey that began when he and Noris Pena Martinez, a dentist,
slipped away from their medical mission and sought refuge at the U.S. embassy in
Harare.
They were referred to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees,
but disappeared the day of their hearing before a Zimbabwean asylum committee.
They later accused Zimbabwean security officers of kidnapping them for a
month at the request of Cuba. Both were granted asylum and later testified
before the U.S. Congress about Cuba's health care system.
Cuba said the doctors betrayed the medical mission to aid Zimbabwe's health
service, but denied any involvement in the alleged kidnapping.
Cuban Pitcher Throws Before Red Sox
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. 20 (AP) - Cuban pitcher Rolando Viera, who sued major
league baseball in an attempt to avoid the amateur draft, worked out for Boston
Red Sox officials Wednesday.
The Red Sox drafted Viera in the seventh round of this year's draft. The
left-hander threw off a bullpen mound before the Red Sox played the Tampa Bay
Devil Rays.
"Today was the first time I've ever seen him and it's the first time
the organization has gotten the chance to see him,'' Boston international
scouting coordinator Benjamin Cherington said. "It's really just the
jumping off point in the evaluation period.''
Cuban ballplayers seeking to join the major leagues typically defect to a
third country, which makes them a free agent and allows them to sign with the
highest bidder. But Viera left Cuba with a valid visa on April 25 and came
straight to the United States.
According to baseball rules, that made him a U.S. resident subject to the
draft. Viera sought a restraining order that would have kept him out of the
draft, but his request was denied by a judge who said being drafted would not
cause him irreparable harm.
Viera's lawyer has said he will appeal the decision. Judge James Whittemore
said Viera still had the option of suing baseball to prove it treats Cuban
players unfairly.
"In terms of my contact with his representatives, they told me that not
withstanding the outcome of the case or any potential appeal, that they do have
an interest in working with the Red Sox,'' Cherington said. "First, to
allow us to evaluate him and then have a dialogue toward the possibility of
Rolando signing with the Red Sox.''
Viera has been working out in Tampa. Although he hasn't pitched in a
competitive situation since the 1999-00 season, Viera has taken part in
simulated games.
"Looks like he has a loose arm,'' Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "A
strong kid, and he's left-handed.''
In Cuba, Viera pitched for Industriales, compiling an 18-10 record with 3.12
ERA in his last two seasons. In his last full season, 1999-00, he was 8-6 with a
3.16 ERA, striking out 54 and walking 28 in 88 1-3 innings.
Viera was suspended for the 2000-01 season because Cuban officials suspected
he wanted to defect. | 
