Guillen To Fly Back To Miami To Apologize Again In Fidel Flap

M-D Commisioner Calls For Guillen To Be Fired

April 9, 2012 11:28 PM

Ozzie Guillen

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen will fly back to Miami Tuesday to apologize for a second time regarding his controversial comments about Fidel Castro.

Guillen will fly to Miami after Monday’s game and explain his comments about Fidel Castro on Tuesday at Marlins Park. He invited anyone to attend who wants to ask a question or hear what he has to say at 10:30 a.m.

But before he can even talk to South Floridians, Miami-Dade County Chairman Joe Martinez has written a letter to Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria asking for Guillen to be fired.

“In light of his comments regarding Fidel Castro, I ask for the resignation of the Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. I ask for the support of all those who have suffered cruelty and violation of human rights anywhere in the world. Mr Guillen should be ashamed of feeling respect for Fidel Castro or any dictator that oppresses the citizens of a counrty,” Martinez wrote.

Guillen, who is Venezuelan, told Time magazine that he loves Castro and respects him for staying in power so long. When Guillen read his comments Friday, he said he felt sick because he knew how people would react.

In his first apology, Guillen said, “I will apologize if I hurt somebody’s feelings, or I hurt somebody’s thought,” Guillen told sports writers on Saturday. “I want them to know I’m against everything 100 percent — I repeat it again — the way this man (has been) treating people for the last 60 years.”

Both the comment and the apology are not sitting well with some in Miami’s Cuban-American community.

“It’s always offensive, anybody that can say that they adore and admire Castro, because my family left Cuba because of Castro,” said Gustavo Gross of Miami. Gross said he feels Guillen needs to get in touch with the pulse of Miami’s baseball community.

“I think Ozzie really needs to dig deep and really educate himself and really re-evaluate and get back in touch with the community because if he’s going to be representing us as a Marlin manager, he really needs to know where he’s coming from.”

Others believe the baseball manager’s statement about Castro is simply his right.

“Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. There’s freedom of speech everywhere within this country so he can say whatever he likes,” said Miami resident Gail Thompson.

In response to the magazine story, the Marlins, whose new ballpark is in Little Havana, home to many Cuban exiles, released a statement saying, “We are aware of the article. There is nothing to respect about Fidel Castro.He is a brutal dictator who has caused unthinkable pain for more than 50 years. We live in a community filled with victims of this dictatorship, and the people in Cuba continue to suffer today.”

It’s not the first time Guillen has made a strong comment about a controversial leader. During his first news conference as Marlins manager in September, he bristled at a suggestion he supports Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

“Don’t tell my wife that, because she hates that man. She hates him to death,” Guillen said. “I supported Chavez? If I was supporting Chavez, do you think I would be manager of the Marlins? I never supported Chavez.”

However, he was heard chanting his support for Chavez after winning the world series title while with the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

Guillen became a U.S. citizen in 2006, and he has been more critical of Chavez in recent years.

“Everybody makes mistakes. We have to give him a chance and see what happens,” said George Coba of Miami.

A group of Cuban-Americans is planning to caravan from Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana to Marlins Park on Tuesday to demand that Guillen step down.

Guillen To Fly Back To Miami To Apologize Again In Fidel Flap

http://allmiamiinfo.com/guillens-apology-for-castro-comments-met-with-skepticism/ Guillen’s Apology For Castro Comments Met With Skepticism – Miami Info – News,Events,Sports

[...] Guillen’s Apology For Castro Comments Met With Skepticism [...]
Felix El Gato

He must have thought he was in America when he said that stuff about Castro.

fletchertayor7

To be precise about your comment, it should read the United States. The United states is only one country in America. Educate yourself before you speak. But then again, you must be an Anglo-Saxon.

Maria Vp

whatever happened to freedom of speech? eventhough i dont agree with what he said, that does not give me or anybody else the right to make him retract his opinion

Tony Montana

Maria I bet anything you don’t go to Liberty City and say you support the KKK, I bet anything that you freedom of speech don’t take you that far, I agree with you he has the right to say whatever he wants, the same way we have the right to tell him to go to Cuba and kiss Castro a–…
Oscar Borras

Mr Guillen has the right to admired Castro. By the same token, we Cubans have the right of not going to see the Marlins play.
Jason

Freedom of speech? I highly doubt you or anyone would want someone who loves Hitler as the manager of your city’s baseball team. His ideas shows what kind of person he is, if he wants his freedom of speech he can have it being a low class citizen.

Ed

OH, OH…
Frank

Felix and Maria
He has all the rights to said what he said as well as when he said VIVA CHAVES in the White Sox celebration, but also Cuban American I have all the rights to disagree as well, and as sucks I will, never be at a Marlins game as long as he is the Manager of the team. For every action there is a reaction. You just do not hurt people because of freedom of speech.

Jason

Well said Frank

fidel

You people are sick. Maybe Ozzie doesn’t agree with Casto’s political views but likes him physically.
Pedro

He has the right to voice his opinion, this is a free country and freedom of speech is one of our basic rights. Now, what can you expect from an uneducated venezuelan cholo that the only thing that he has known in his life is a baseball. If he had a brain he would have known where he was an would have used discretion an tact. Sorry, send a dictionary, he does not know what that means.
Charles

How does that go again, Frank?
rausky79

Thanks Mr. Guillen for showing your true RED COMMIE colours! You’ve given me another reason for not going to your lousy stadium,nor supporting the Marlins!! I will always support the New York Yankees, my HOME team, even though I live in South Florida.
Humberto

Lets put some perspective to this issue. What about this idiot would have said “I love Hitler”, or “I love Pinochet”, no need to list all offended groups and civil agencies yelling asking for his resignation. Making this type of comment shows how narrowed knowledge a person have about an specific issue, like the Cuban History under Castro’s Tyranny. And that goes along for all “Gary(s)” that have no clue about all the those Cubans that have given the best of their years fighting the regime. Unfortunately, this country’s media, which is intensively liberal, and the entire world, prefer to avoid this issue.
Albert

I belive in freedom of speech so Ozzie can say what he wants, but I do not have to go to any Marlins games becuse of what he said, That is my right.
Moreover I ask all Cuban baseball fans to not attend any Marlins games untill Ozzie is gone.

Thank God for the United States of American
Sick of the whinner’s

Its pretty sad the cubans here seem to think everyone has to do what they want. And to think what they want. One person said in an interveiw “he needs to remember where he come’s from” Well he comes from a place where we are supposed to be able to think and feel the way we want. No, the way the cubans say we have to. People ran from a country because they were being forced to do and think a certain way. Now they are doing it to others and thats ok? What a joke. Seems to be far more important things to worry about.
Sick of the whinner’s

How about we ask all the people who demand other people to think their way leave and the rest of us go see a ball game where we are free to think what we want without people forcing their veiws on us. Funny kinda like living under castro but in south florida!!!!!
Lulu

Mr. Guillen is an uneducated person who does not know how to express himself properly in any language. What he said is said. You cannot retract it. I would recommend to Mr. Guillen and other people who feel the same way about Castro and Chavez, to donate their wordly possesions to the poor and move to either of those two countries. I’m sure that they’ll all come back pretty pronto

DOMINGO

VERRY WELL SAID

richard

Whenever I want complex political thought it’s not Kissinger or Brezinskwi I go to for answers but rather Ozzie Guillen. you can tell every time the man opens his mouth it’s pure genius. Consider the source people.

DaleDuro

exactly! He’s a BASEBALL MANAGER!

Who Cares1?

Big Deal..Until now,garbage Team Loosing.. Change this Looser Manager..

Victor Barney

Cubans are NOT the problem, they generally are as good as any American in america today. Please remember that it was Castro who empied all of his Insane Institutions and put them on a boat for Miami. The irony is I don’t even think that they are the worse Americans today. No, I’m not Hispanic. Just saying…
Teresa Leiva

No explanations needed. HE HAS TO GO
Joe

He HAS to GOOOOO !!!!!!!!!

What a shame !!!!
DOMINGO

I GUESS THESE JOE MARTINEZ LIKES TO KISS FIDELS ASS FOR STICKING UP FOR HIM AND THESE IS GUY IF WE CAN CALL HIM THAT ,THAT WANTS TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF DADE COUNTY TELL YOU SOMETHING HE WILL NEVER GET MY VOTE AND SOMEONE LIKE THAT WE SURE DONT NEED IN OFFICE WHAT EVER HAPPEN TO FREE TALKING WHAT HAS THESE COUNTRY BECOME WE CAN DO NOTHING ANYMORE ALL OF OUR RIGHTS BEEN TAKEN AWAY BY ALL THESE POLITICAL PEOPLE TIME TO TAKE BACK THESE COUNTRY I SAY AND OUT OFF OFFICE WITH THESE JOE MARTINEZ

DOMINGO

DISREGARD ALL IN COMENT MADE MISTAEK ON THE COMENT

Owen

Ask Ozzie why he did’not go to White House, after the Sox won the World Series!?
No Apologies

No apologies.The USA Cubans here have been playing the commie Castro card for too many years. The taxpayers are being sucked dry. It’s time move on.
DOMINGO

MR Guillen SHOULD STEP DOWN FROM THE MARLIN TEAM AND IF NOT WE SHOULD NOT SHOW UP FOR THE GAMES TILL THEY DO FIRE HIS ASS STANDING UP FOR A PERSON THAT HAVE KILL PEOPLE AS FOR CHAVEZ AND FIDEL LET HIM GO LEAVE WITH THEM SEE HOW LONG HE WILL STAY THERE SO WITH THESE IN MIND FIRE HIS LITTLE ASS FROM THE MARLING

DaleDuro

you weren’t planning on going to a single game I bet

DaleDuro

All Joe Martinez wants is more Cuban votes, just like ros-lethinen and her team, using the Cubans here as tools to keep wining votes. EVERYONE.. knew what we were getting when Ozzie was hired, he’s a baseball manager and not a murderer, let him apologise and move forward, unfortunately, my people are not as forgiving.

Que sigan tumbando a Fidel con la lengua desde el exilio. The Versailles warriors weren’t going to any games anyway. Damn Ozzy, you could’ve simply said no comment lol
Who Cares1?

Wish Fire Him,NOT Big Deal Mananger..Loosing Games
Who Cares1?

Dale Duro, Poor Cuban,Fidel Castro’s Fan..Probably living under welfare?