miércoles, 18 de marzo de 2009

The moral importance of the Classic

AT the beginning of the Revolution the Olympics were an event for amateurs.

When the concepts of developed capitalism managed to penetrate the Olympic Games, athletic activity ceased being an issue of health and education, its objectives throughout history.

The only country in the world where that character was preserved was Cuba which, over many years, attained the highest per capita rate of gold medals in terms of its population.

Our finest and most worthy athletes, those who have not become corrupt, have not sold themselves, nor betrayed their people and their homeland, are the ones who represent us with honor in international competitions.

Those countries in which new revolutionary processes have emerged, such as Venezuela, and which consider sports a sacred right of the people, are now unable to participate in highly prestigious events with their professional athletes, given it requires the authorization of the private companies which have acquired rights over those athletes. Athletes are bought and sold like any other commodity. Many of them are serious people who love the country in which they were born, but who cannot decide for themselves.

Leonel Fernández, president of the Dominican Republic, has bitterly complained about that situation and his team has been eliminated from the Classic. Chávez talks about members of the Venezuelan team with enthusiasm and fondness, while complaining bitterly that his Venezuelan star pitchers and batters in the Major Leagues are not allowed to play under the Venezuelan flag.

Cuba has an excellent national team, made up of players from all parts of the island, where every province feels proud of its contribution to the Cuban selection. Individually, their rivals may be equal to or even better than many of our players, given the economic and technical resources of the United States, Canada, Japan and others. What distinguishes the Cuban athletes is their strong motivation on account of the values that they represent.

The team selected is doubtless the best to have represented our country, given the track records, qualities and merits of each player. Opinion polls demonstrate that, given the degree of satisfaction expressed for the selection throughout the country, with a few exceptions.

Now we have to address real facts:

The Classic was organized by those who run the exploitation of sports in the United States, people who, moreover, are astute, intelligent and also as diplomatic as they need to be. However, they cannot do without our country in those Classics.

They placed the three best teams from the (first) Classic and the Olympics — Japan, Korea and Cuba — in the same group, so that they would eliminate each other. Last time, they placed us in the Latin American group, this time in the Asian group.

For that reason, between today and tomorrow in San Diego, one of the three will be irremissibly eliminated without having previously competed against the team of the United States, the country of the "Major Leagues." This means that, in the next stage, two of the three will be knocked out. We are thus obliged to wage our battle and draw up strategies in the midst of those vicissitudes.

Japan’s team beat us on the 15th because we undoubtedly committed errors of management at that point, thousands of kilometers away, where it is virtually impossible for Cuba to influence the management of its team.

Currently, the views of our population are divided, but an ample majority is of the opinion that the most convenient result would be a win for Korea against Japan. They understand that the team from that great Asian country is like a precision watch. Of its 28 members, 23 play in the Japanese league. Each one of them is programmed and they have analyzed the characteristics of our players one by one.

Like all Asians, they possess a large dose of sangfroid. Thus they have beaten us twice: in the final game that decided the last Classic and in the first game between the two in this event.

On the other hand, Korea has invested major resources in facilities and technology. One the eve of the last Olympics, in which we had to adapt to a totally opposite time change, they were splendid with us and offered us their facilities free of charge, but at the same time, they exhaustively studied each and every one of our athletes, shooting film and footage of them. They know all of our pitches and the response of each one of our batters to pitches. They constitute the principal adversary, because they are likewise methodical and bat with more strength than the Japanese.

Despite the adverse circumstances noted, neither of the two is invulnerable to our team. A number of Cuban players are new. We have worked more on the weak points of our star players. There is one principle that cannot be violated: whichever is the adversary tomorrow, Wednesday, none of the habitual well-worn paths can be followed.

We possess a lineup of strong batters, almost all of whom can hit a home run — and they have demonstrated that — as well as a lineup of light, rapid and safe batters, who when combined with the strong batters can wreak considerable damage, like they did yesterday against Mexico.

Almost all the pitchers are liberated for Wednesday. We have to start from the characteristics of each one of them, their degree of control and domination of pitches in each and any of the concrete situations that could arise. One of the inviolable principles is that there can be no vacillation whatsoever when a pitcher has to be substituted immediately, if they show a tendency to lose control facing the Japanese or Koreans.

Our experts of profound experience who advise the INDER should indicate beforehand the priority order in which a lefthander or right-hander should take charge of the mound. There could be an opening pitcher, or a number of them who can play the role of an excellent opening pitcher, for which we have the necessary raw material.

There is one thing that every player should internalize. Not to feel discouraged for a single instant. Not to try to desperately hit every ball, as was the case with some of our batters in the last encounter with Japan.

In our country, unfortunately, we have the unhealthy habit of waiting for the first strike, an old custom inculcated in Cuban baseball players, a habit of which opposing pitchers are aware, calmly throwing the first strike straight over home. We have to force a hard task on them from the very first moment.

We have a model to follow in our team: the incredible serenity and security of Cepeda, to whom I wish to pay tribute in this Reflection, for his prowess. He has not in the least varied in his sports efficiency since his first time at bat in the Classic. Yesterday, when we had five runs against Mexico, he had batted in four of them. That game demonstrated that we can beat an adversary.

I greet all the members of the excellent team representing us in San Diego.

Patria o Muerte

¡Venceremos!

Fidel Castro Ruz
March 17, 2009
7:21 p.m.

Cuban Solidarity with the World Praised in Italy

HAVANA, Cuba, March 18 (acn) Cuba's solidarity toward needy peoples in the world was praised in Italy during a meeting in solidarity with the archipelago, Venezuela, and Bolivia, under the slogan "On behalf of those who resist".

The meeting took place in the Italian workers' neighbourhood of San Lorenzo, organized by the Communist Left of the Communist Re-foundation Party (PRC) of Italy.

In the presence of some one hundred people, mainly young, speakers talked about the work carried out by Havana's Latin American School of Medicine in the training of doctors, and the integration projects of the Bolivarian Alternative for The Americas (ALBA). They also advocated for the spreading of these results, systematically hidden by the corporate media in the world, dominated by imperialist transnational companies of information.

They also highlighted Operation Miracle -a Venezuelan-Cuban program aimed at restoring the vision of people with low resources- and the Cuban literacy teaching method, Yes, I Can.

Acting as panellists at the activity were Bolivian ambassador Esteban Elmer Catarina; the chargé d'affaires of the Venezuelan embassy, Yvelise Martínez Graffe; and the third secretary of the Cuban embassy, Gerardo Soler.

Also on the panel were Gianluigi Pegolo and Ramón Mantovani, representing the Secretariat and the National Leadership of the PRC, respectively; journalist Lucio Manisco; and Alessandro Cardulli, director of the on-line magazine Dazebao, who acted as moderator.

Other issues discussed during the meeting were the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and the revolutionary processes currently being developed in Latin America, particularly in Venezuela and Bolivia.

Emphasis was made on the new Bolivian Constitution and the recent victory of the Venezuelan people and of President Hugo Chávez in the constitutional referendum held in January.

(Elogian en Italia solidaridad de Cuba con el mundo)

Pakistan Donates a Million Dollars for Hurricane Victims in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, March 18 (acn) The Islamic Republic of Pakistan donated one million dollars to Cuba on Tuesday, to contribute to alleviate the damage caused by hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma to the archipelago in 2008.

The Pakistani ambassador to Havana, Najm Us Saqib, handed over the check to the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, describing the gesture as an expression of solidarity and friendship.

Friends give their help in moments of need, said the diplomat, who, on behalf of his people and government, highly appreciated the support given by Cuba to Pakistan when after the 2005 devastating earthquake it sent over 2,000 health voluntary workers to help the victims of that disaster.

Us Saqib thanked Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, Cuban president Raúl Castro, and the current Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who had headed the aforementioned mission, and affirmed that relations between the two countries have strengthened and that the future for the two peoples is bright.

Malmierca underlined that the presence of the Henry Reeve Cuban medical contingent in Pakistan, for over six months, was an act of solidarity and generosity, "the same way today Pakistan is helping us in a difficult moment: the passage of three intense hurricanes last year", he said.

The Cuban minister thanked the Pakistani ambassador for the donation, and considered this help as part of "the friendship and fraternity existing between the two peoples".

(Cuba agradece a Pakistán donativo para danmificados)

European Commissioner for Development Visits Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, March 18 (acn) The European Commissioner for Development, Louis Michel, arrived in Cuba on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

According to Granma news daily, during his stay in Cuba, the distinguished visitor will meet with Rodriguez Parrilla and with other State and Government authorities.

In addition, he will preside over the delegation of the European Commission that is participating in a Cuba-European Meeting on Cooperation underway in Havana under the auspices of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment.

(En Cuba Comisario Europeo para el Desarrollo)

Book of Fidel Castro's Reflections Launched in India

HAVANA, Cuba, March 18 (acn) A book with reflections on the causes and consequences of the current world financial crisis by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, was launched on Tuesday in New Delhi, the capital of India.

According to Prensa Latina news agency, the book, a compilation of reflections entitled 'The Gigantic Casino', was published by India's publishing house Left Word.

During the book launch, the Cuban Ambassador in New Delhi, Miguel Angel Ramirez, explained that "the text helps us understand the origins and development of the current crisis and it contributes to our knowledge of financial topics."

Ramirez recalled Fidel's words when he said that the world will not be able to overcome the crisis by remodelling or renewing the same system that provoked it.

For his part, academician Aijaz Ahmad said that Fidel Castro is undoubtedly the most visionary and courageous revolutionary of our times.

(Presentan en la India libro con reflexiones de Fidel)

Reward Cuba in Fair of tourism of Argentina

Havana, March 18. Cuba received the First Prize as better pavilion in the Caribbean sector of the International Fair of Tourism (FIT 2008) that is carried out in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

For it integral proposal and expositor quality, the Island deserved this distinction for the first time after 12 years of participation in the FIT, informs today Presses Latin.

Mario Ramos Álvarez, director of the Office of Information and Tourist Promotion of Cuba for the South Cone, declared that the stimulus is also a recognition its country to receive in 2008 to 47 thousand 405 Argentinean visitors.

He said that although an international crisis, the Cuban touristic industry continues in development to offer dissimilar proposes, sustained in principles of quality, prices and comfortable atmosphere.

The ambassador of the Island in Buenos Aires, Aramís Fuente, underlined the interest of professionals of the sector to have access to the Cuban product that takes implicit cultural and historical values.

South Korea Beats Japan and Advances to Final Round of 2009 WBC

HAVANA, Cuba, March 18 (acn) South Korea beat defending champions Japan
4-1 on Tuesday night at the Petco Park in San Diego and advanced to the
2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) semi-finals while the United States
also moved on by downing Puerto Rico at the Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

Olympic champions South Korea managed to score three runs in the bottom
of the very first inning taking advantage of a shaky start by Japanese
starter Yu Darvish.

Darvish and the Japanese relievers allowed just one hit the rest of the
way but sharp fielding and solid pitching allowed South Korea to take
the final 4-1 win.

Outfielder Lee Yong-kyu led off the first for South Korea with a single,
stole second and scored the first run thanks in part to bobbled balls
from Japanese infielders Akinori Iwamura and Yasuyuki Kataoka. Then, Lee
Jin-young singled to left with the bases loaded and drove in two more
runs to give South Korea a lead they would never lose.

South Korean starter Bong Jung-keun got the win after pitching into the
fifth inning, giving up a run on three hits, three walks and hitting a
batter.

Meanwhile, the Americans scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to
turn the tables on Puerto Rico with a 6-5 win, capped by David Wright’s
single that drove in two, including the winning run.

Japan will play Cuba on Wednesday with the winner advancing to the semi-
finals and the loser out of the tournament.

Venezuela has already advanced to the semi-finals.