IN its on-line edition last night (Thursday) and its printed edition today, the U.S. newspaper El Nuevo Herald published an insidious article titled "U.S. and Cuba clash over World Classic earnings," which, citing a so-called spokesman for baseball’s Major Leagues, attempts to ignore Cuba’s decision to donate to the victims of Hurricane Katrina earnings that legitimately should go to our country for having won second place in the tournament, which would not be handed over to Cuba by virtue of the criminal and shameful laws of the blockade.

As our people and public opinion know, our baseball players’ noble gesture of solidarity in handing over the Classic prize money to those affected by Katrina was not a new decision announced by President Fidel Castro on Tuesday when he welcomed home our glorious baseball team. On December 14, the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) sent a communiqué to the organizers of the World Classic stating that, in the face of the U.S. Treasury Department’s refusal to authorize Cuba’s presence in the event using the argument that our country could not receive earnings because it would go against the irrational Plan Bush for Cuba, it had been decided to donate any earnings corresponding to Cuba to victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The letter from the Cuban Baseball Federation stated: "It is not the money that OFAC puts forward as the reason for our interest in competing. We are the federation of a poor but dignified country. Our only purpose is to cooperate so that baseball continues to develop and so that in the near future it will be re- included in the Olympic Program. We have never competed for money.

"With the intention of providing options, the Cuban Baseball Federation would be willing for any money that belongs to it from participating in the Classic to go to:

"— Victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans."

Although we are aware of the intentions and interests behind the Miami newspaper, we do not know the level of representation of Mr. Patrick Courtney, the self-titled spokesman for the Major Leagues, whom we know had no participation in the intense and serious negotiations that the Cuban Baseball Federation sustained in recent months with the organizers of the World Classic, and which finally facilitated our team’s successful participation in the extremely challenging sports event.

In a letter sent December 16 to the FCB, Mr. Paul Archey, vice president of the Major Leagues and the event’s main organizer, said, "We appreciate your offer to allocate any earnings generated by the Cuban Baseball Federation’s participation in the World Classic to the benefit of victims of Hurricane Katrina." He also stated that, based on Cuba’s proposal, a new application would be made to the State Department for a license allowing our national team’s presence in the tournament.

In late January of 2006, the U.S. government saw itself obliged to authorize Cuba’s participation in the Classic in face of the convincing proposal for a solution presented by the Cuban Baseball Federation and the broad international reaction against the cynical goal of excluding our nation from the event.

That is when the complicated preparatory process to guarantee the presence of our baseball players in the Classic was rapidly initiated, a process that included the signing of agreements between the Cuban Baseball Federation, the players and the event’s organizers.

On February 15, in a letter addressed to the Cuban Baseball Federation’s president, Mr. Paul Archey, vice president of the Major Leagues, stated: "Responding to the additional points that you have raised with us with respect to the Federation’s concerns around your participation in World Baseball Classic, we have sought the counsel of the United States State Department. After consultations held with the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the State Department has authorized us to make the following commitments in a collateral letter with a mandatory effect:

— Within a period of 120 days after the tournament’s conclusion, the WBCI will send all the participating federations a balance of account of the disposition of any cash prizes and any non-assigned net income. Said account balance will include documents certifying that the WBCI has donated all of those funds to internationally-known charity organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Katrina Fund."

To whom do the non-assigned funds correspond if not to the Cuban Federation, prevented from having access to them because of the absurd and criminal blockade? What do the State Department and the Classic’s organizers have to say about this agreement approved with the Cuban Federation? Who is lying?

While this new, anti-Cuba dirty game is being carried out from Miami, the victims of Hurricane Katrina continue to suffer government neglect and the disastrous consequences of being displaced in other states throughout the country.

Cuba reiterates its solidarity with them and its disposition to give them the prize money legitimately won on the playing field by our athletes, radiating courage, discipline and respect for the Puerto Rican and U.S. American publics who cheered them on in the stadiums. The Cuban team’s visit to the areas where the Major League organization is building housing for Katrina’s victims reflected the sense of solidarity and the humane magnanimity of our ballplayers and their support for the Cuban Baseball Federation’s decision.