Cabrera Discusses Death Threats, Bribes To Protect Family In Venezuela
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Miguel Cabrera on Monday spurned the advice he once received from his countryman and former MLB All-Star Andres Galarraga: Don't involve yourself in politics back home.
"And I never have. But right now we have to get involved, because the country has been hijacked," Cabrera declared in Spanish on his Instagram story, via Evan Woodberry of MLive.com.
The political crisis in Venezuela continues to escalate, and Cabrera took to Instagram to air his grievances. Most notably, he backed protesters of President Nicholas Maduro and Maduro's potentially communist regime, and claimed threats have been made against he and his family in his hometown of Maracay.
Per MLive.com, Cabrera's comments were thrust into Venezuelan newspaper headlines such as, "If I go to Venezuela 'they'll break me, they'll kill me','" and, "I'm tired of paying protection money so they don't kidnap my mother."
Cabrera made it clear that he supports those who are resisting Maduro's government.
"I protest for truth, for the end of communism, and I am not with dictators," he said. "To the people of the resistance, you are not alone."
Maduro enforces a left-wing ideology known as Chavismo, an extension of former President Hugo Chavez. Support for this style of government in Venezuela has severely declined with the country in dire economic straits.
Cabrera said chavistas in Maracay have threatened him and forced him to pay money to protect his family.
"As the chavistas told me, 'If you go to Venezuela, they will break you, they will kill you.'
"Many people are going to say, 'Who is going to break you?' Many guys are hungry there and some who are hungry from Maracay are chavistas. They declared war on me and I declared (war) on them.
"The chavistas are opportunists, because they grab at money. They are not of the people."
Cabrera added, "Please do not do anything to my family. That's what I ask."
The Tigers star is enjoying the All-Star break at a tropical beach resort with his family. He said he's doing everything he can to help his countrymen back home.
"I have helped Venezuela a lot. I have sent medicine and food. What do you want me to send? Weapons? Don't tell me that we are not doing anything," he said.
