CUBA NEWS
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Contreras' Wife, 2 Daughters Leave
Cuba
By David Ginsburg, AP Sports
Writer. June 22, 2004.
BALTIMORE - Jose Contreras' family defected
from Cuba this week, and the New York Yankees
pitcher left the team Tuesday and traveled
to Miami to reunite with his wife and two
daughters.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman
Barbara Gonzalez said she did not know details
on how the family got out of Cuba. A call
to U.S. Border Patrol officials was not
immediately returned.
"It's spectacular news," Yankees
manager Joe Torre said before Tuesday night's
game at Baltimore.
Wife Miriam, 11-year-old Naylan and 3-year-old
Naylenis were taken by the border patrol
to immigration offices, where they were
interviewed and released.
After being examined by Miami-Dade County
medical officials, they left with Contreras'
agent, Jaime Torres, early Tuesday evening.
The family looked tired, and Torres said
they were "in pretty good condition."
"I have spoken to Jose. Needless to
say, he was very happy," Torres said.
"His family has been separated for
more than a year and a half. This is their
dream come true."
Contreras was expected to arrive in Miami
late Tuesday, Torres said.
"Thanks to God, they are free,"
Torres said. "We are very happy and
they can have a reunion with their family."
Contreras, the former star on Cuba's national
team, defected in October 2002. Nicaragua
twice granted Contreras' family visas, but
the Cuban government denied permission for
his relatives to leave the island.
In late 2002, Contreras' family was informed
that it would have to wait five years for
a document required to leave.
While Contreras kept in contact with his
family, the separation was often mentioned
as a reason the ace pitcher might have struggled
since reaching the majors.
Contreras is 4-3 with a 6.18 ERA in 11
starts this year, and was sent back to the
minors earlier in the season. He is expected
to make his next start Saturday at Yankee
Stadium against the New York Mets.
"We all need so much support in this
game, and a lot of comes from people outside
the park," Torre said. "He had
really his home and four walls, so it's
tough to go home and not think about bad
things that have happened or good things
that may turn bad.
"The fact that he has been going home
to that empty room, that empty apartment,
probably is one of the toughest things someone
can do," he said.
AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami
contributed to this report.
Castro warns Bush against invading Cuba
HAVANA, 21 (AFP) - President Fidel Castro
warned his colleague George W. Bush not
to make war on Cuba and offered health care
to 3,000 Americans who cannot afford it.
"You would not win that war,"
he told an absent Bush while addressing
a crowd of 200,000. "You will not find
glory in military action against Cuba,"
because "your march on Cuba would not
be easy."
Castro's offer of free medical care in
his 35-minute speech was extended to the
same number of Americans as those who died
on September 11, 2001.
"Those 3,000 Americans could travel
to our country, accompanied by a family
member, and receive treatment absolutely
free," said Castro, who likes to remind
Cubans they enjoy universal, free health
care while 40 million Americans do without.
Castro wore his olive-green military uniform
as he spoke before a 12-meter (40-foot)
likeness of Bush, also in a military uniform
and daubed with a Hitler-style mustache.
Below the photo, hung near the US Interests
Section in Havana, was the text: "Bush,
Fascist: There Is No Aggression Cuba Cannot
Resist."
Castro also took potshots at Cuban emigres
in Miami, which he called "a known,
terrorist Mafia." He said Bush should
not count on their support in the November
2 election.
"Your dependence on those groups will
lose you many votes, not only in Florida
but in the entire country," Castro
said, in what he called an open letter to
Bush.
Castro also took a swipe at Bush's recently
announced plans to tighten US residents'
remittances to relatives in Cuba, as well
as to crack down on US citizens who visit
Cuba. Bush's stated purpose is to accelerate
the fall of the 77-year-old dictator.
Castro said that with or without him, Cuba's
socialist revolution would go on.
"There would not be the slightest
damage to our capacity to struggle and resist,"
he said.
"The orders of what is to be done
have already been given. I will be the first
in line to die for my country."
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