Ozzie Guillen, Miami Marlins Manager, Suspended for Castro Gaffe

By ⋅ April 10, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment
An archive image of Fidel Castro from 2003. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

An archive image of Fidel Castro from 2003. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

“I love Fidel Castro.”

Those were the words that earned Ozzie Guillen a five-game suspension from his new job as manager of the Miami Marlins.

The comments in an interview with Time magazine, resulted in a firestorm of criticism for Guillen, whose team plays in a new stadium in Miami’s Little Havana, home to hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans who fled Castro’s revolution from 1959.

“I was thinking in Spanish and said it wrong in English,” Guillen said after apologizing at a news conference in Miami on Tuesday. Guillen said he meant to say he was surprised that Fidel Castro had stayed in power so long, considering what he’d done.

Ozzie Guillen in 2008 as manager of the White Sox (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Ozzie Guillen in 2008 as manager of the White Sox (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Guillen has put his foot in his mouth many times before. “He’s always had a quick mouth,” says Andy Gomez, assistant provost of the University of Miami, “to say what’s in his head, whether it’s in Spanish or English”. Gomez is also a Marlins’ season-ticket holder.

Gomez said Guillen’s comments showed a ridiculous level of ignorance and insensitivity.

But Gomez praised the Marlins’ management for their prompt action, suspending Guillen.

“I think that’s quite sufficient. I don’t think it calls for a firing at this time at all.”

Read the Transcript
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Marco Werman: I’m Marco Werman, this is The World. The manager of baseball’s Miami Marlins made an unprecedented apology today. The notoriously abrasive Ozzie Guillen may have gone one step too far when he told Time magazine that he “loved Fidel Castro.” The result has been a firestorm of criticism for the Marlins manager whose team plays in a new stadium in Miami’s Little Havana.

Ozzie Guillen: I apologize to the people’s ear outside who was looking at me and I’m very, very, very sorry about the problem, about what happening. And I will do everything to make it better, everything in my power to make it better.

Werman: Guillen went on to say I was thinking in Spanish and said it wrong in English. He said he meant to say he was surprised Fidel Castro stayed in long considering what he’s done. The Marlins have now suspended Guillen for five games with immediate effect. Andy Gomez is Assistant Provost of the University of Miami and a Marlins fan himself, a season ticket holder in fact, right, Andy?

Andy Gomez: Absolutely.

Werman: So on a scale of 1-10, how bad is this gaffe from Ozzie Guillen?

Gomez: I would say it’s a 6 or a 7 to be very honest with you, but I should say I’m a bigger Boston Red Sox fan. It’s about a 6 or a 7, but the issue here, Marco, is one has to realize and I do as an academic, how dangerous ignorance can be.

Werman: And what do you mean by that? Who’s ignorant here?

Gomez: Oh, Ozzie, I mean not only has he always had a quick mouth to say what comes to his head, whether it’s in Spanish or English, but to come to Miami where Cubans escaped and made it their home after Castro took over in 1959, and to make such an incentive statement is absolutely ludicrous. But he’s done it before, he did it with Hugo Chavez, he should stick to what he knows and he knows very little, clearly, about international politics and what’s going on around the world. In order to understand the world you have to live in Miami.

Werman: But people are saying you know, Guillen has a right to free speech, why should he be penalized for his comments?

Gomez: If there’s one thing that I feel very strong about, particularly having come back from Cuba with the Pope’s visit myself, freedom of speech is something that I’m very protective of, but with that freedom of speech also comes responsibility. And that sense of responsibility is to know a little bit about what you’re talking about and being aware who might you hurt with some of these comments.

Werman: So apparently talk shows in South Florida have been swamped with calls demanding Guillen be fired. Is a 5-game suspension going to be enough to calm the heat down there?

Gomez: As an academic, as a Cuban American and as a Miami season ticket holder, I take my hat off to the ownership and the management of the Marlins by recognizing the sensitivity of this ludicrous remark and suspending him for five games. I think that’s quite sufficient. I don’t think it calls for a firing at this time at all.

Werman: Andy Gomez, Assistant Provost at the University of Miami, thank you very much.

Gomez: You’re welcome, Marco.

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Discussion

7 comments for “Ozzie Guillen, Miami Marlins Manager, Suspended for Castro Gaffe”

  • PublicRadioFan

    Andy Gomez displays an appalling ignorance of, or denial of, the true meaning of Free Speech. He obviously does NOT subscribe to the school of “I may not like what you say, but I defend to the death your right to say it.” Unfortunately, the old guard of anti-Castro zealots is still alive in Florida and ready to suspend democracy in defense of their world view. There’s an aroma of totalitarianism and intolerance in such responses. Beware – the thought police are on duty.

  • cringeschrapnel

    He didn’t do anything wrong.

  • maria_alves

    No me gusto este articulo. Si una persona que no es famosa dijo que se ama Fidel Castro, no podria estar leyendo acerca de el. Pero el famoso jugador dijo que ahora es una noticia importante. A quien le importa? No me importa. Tenemos libertad de expresion. Siempre no gusta lo que dicen. Asi es la vida.

  • Margarita63

    Pienso que esto es ridículo.  Es la libertad de expresión.  Pero la vida es diferente para las personas famosas.  Si yo digo me gusta Fidel Castro, nadie le importa.  Pero, porque él stá  en el centro de atención, muchas personas piensen que esta es mal.  Hay doble raseros en los estados unidos y yo no estoy de acuerdo con los.

  • Graciela22

    Este artículo es un poco ridículo. Estoy de acuerdo
    con Margarita y María,
    tenemos la libertad de expresión.
    Sí, dijo que ama a Fidel Castro, pero es una equivocación.
    Él no debe ser despedido de su trabajo.
    Los periodistas exageran todo, no es un problema
    grande.

  • marta6

    Estoy de acuerdo con Margarita y Graciela. La frase “Amo a Fidel Castro” era verdaderamente controversial y tal vez ignorante, pero en los Estados Unidos tenemos la libertad de expresión. No me importa que los cubanos en Miami no les gusta Fidel Castro; la frase era un pensamiento de Ozzie Guillen. Creo que no deberíamos ser castigados para los pensamientos. Además, la frase no tiene ninguna relación a la trabajo de Guillen. ¿Por qué está suspendido? La frase no era peligrosa; Él no dijo que iba a ayudar a Castro. Él simplemente dijo que le amó. En mi opinión, la suspensión es una injusticia de la libertad de expresión.

  • MateoP

    Obviamente, Ozzie Guillen tiene el derecho a decir que él quiere. Creo que la gente que apoyan a la suspencion debe leer todo lo que dijo. Guillen dijo que respeta Castro, porque “mucha gente ha querido matar a Fidel Castro durante los últimos sesenta años,” pero aún está vivo. Las organizaciones de noticias deben informar todo lo que dijo. Él es un ciudadano americano, asi Guillen tiene los derechos de la Primera Enmienda, que incluye la libertad de expresión. Los Medias Blancas de Chicago tienen la capacidad para dar una suspensión e Guillen, pero no estoy de acuerdo con la decisión del equipo.