A Historic Salute for Cuban Defector

(ATR) Dayron Varona never imagined that after fleeing Cuba with his mother in a boat three years ago he would return to the island to be applauded by more than 50,000 spectators in the Estadio Latinoamericano, including Cuba’s leader Raul Castro. To read this story in Spanish, click here.

That "dream" became a reality for Varona when he was invited to join his teammates on the Major League Baseball team the Tampa Bay Rays to play a friendly game against Cuba in Havana. The game was the last event attended by U.S. President Barack Obama on his historic 48-hour trip to Cuba.

Before starting the symbolic match, Tampa Bay players went to the presidential podium to greet Obama and Castro. Varona was chosen as the first batter of the game.

The 28-year old Havana native told Around the Rings "over the 27 years in Cuba it never entered my head even remotely to play before the two presidents".

"I'm really shocked that the Cuban public got to see me again, I had deserted ... although I did nothing wrong," said Varona who took advantage of his unexpected journey to reunite with his father, uncles, and other family members. However, he did not want to give details about the day in 2013 when he decided to escape Cuba with his mother.

"Of course we have not forgotten, but never wanted to remember" he told ATR moments after the game ended in a 4-1 victory by the Tampa Bay Rays.

For the first time a "deserter" came back to the island and faced the president who two years ago approved immigration reform stating that a Cuban athlete who left the country illegally could not return within eight years.

However, this legislation is not being strictly enforced. Last December, two Cuban players in the major leagues, José Abreu and Yasiel Puig, who had also escaped by sea in 2012 and 2013, were allowed to enter Cuba with an MLB delegation headed by Joe Torre. Torre is a leader in reunifying efforts with Cuba and negotiated special permission for players to sign with American professional baseball franchises without having to defect.

Abreu, Puig and other MLB stars were given a red carpet welcome in Havana. The players stayed in a nice hotel, gave press conferences, signed autographs, met with relatives and gave clinics and advice to children. They also said they would be willing to return to Cuba in order to play for the national team.

It was an historic Easter week in Havana with many firsts taking place, including Obama's visit, the baseball exhibition with Cuban defectors such as Varona among the participants and the Rolling Stones rock concert.

Written by Miguel Hernandez and translated by Kevin Nutley

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