Political undertones are hard to ignore when the Cuban team arrives in Miami for the World Baseball Classic

MIAMI – Members of the Cuba national baseball team arrived in South Florida overnight ahead of the next round of the World Baseball Classic.

After the big win in Australia, Team Cuba must now face off in the heart of Cuban exile.

Orlando Gutierrez of the Cuban Resistance Assembly said this was not just any game and expected protests surrounding their visit.

“I’m expecting to see really good Cuban baseball players playing a sport that Cubans love,” Gutierrez said. “To raise the voice of the people of Cuba who are in prison, who are being persecuted.”

Gutierrez argues that the Cuban government has used sport to spread propaganda and political influence for decades.

“We have nothing against the players,” he said. “They are athletes competing in a major sporting competition and we do not reject them. We reject the regime that controls them and the regime that is represented in this world event.”

As for the players, Gutierrez argues that being in Miami is probably very stressful as they face immense scrutiny from the Cuban government, as Cuban athletes have used similar events to defect in the past.

“I have no doubt that their families would suffer significant consequences back home if they defected,” said Andy Gomez, a University of Miami professor and retired Cuba expert.

But play is on and a significant police presence is expected to ensure everyone is safe.

“We’re just asking everyone to respect everyone’s opinion,” said Miami Police Captain Freddie Cruz. “We live in a free country. We will not tolerate violence.”