Miami GOP's Garcia Urges Marlins, Jeter to Stand With Fan Base, Not Communist Cuba

When Major League Baseball (MLB) decided to relocate the All-Star game away from Atlanta because of the recently-signed election integrity law in Georgia, an avalanche of opposition came down against the boycott at the local, state, and federal levels across the country.

In Florida, Senator Marco Rubio questioned MLB Commissioner Manfred’s decision that appears to be causing an adverse economic effect on “countless small and minority-owned business in and around Atlanta.”

Now, Republican Party of Miami Chairman Rene Garcia has piled on the in opposition, denouncing the Miami Marlins, particularly CEO Derek Jeter for coming out in support of the boycott of Georgia.

Garcia called MLB’s decision to move the All-Star game “shameful, inappropriate and hypocritical” and went after Jeter, demanding that he withdraw his support for the boycott.

While we want to support our home team, we cannot support efforts that undermine election integrity and wrongfully punish others for fortifying it, particularly those based on hypocrisy," stated Garcia. " Again, we ask Mr. Jeter and the Miami Marlins to stand with their fan base and our community; be consistent with your very own identification policies instead of demonizing the simple and sensible voter ID requirements that will ensure free and fair elections by protecting every voter’s right to cast their own ballot."

Garcia even pulled out the ever-effective ‘MLB played baseball in Communist Cuba’ card that South Florida politicians keep handy for moments like this, and reminded Miamians that MLB hosted official games in one of the most oppressive nations on earth

"The MLB’s glaring hypocrisy and selective outrage must be particularly noted. The MLB’s decision is even more disturbing in that it chose to play games in communist Cuba – a country whose government, for more than 60 years, has actually and consistently violated the human, civil, religious, and political rights of its citizens. Apparently, the MLB and the Miami Marlins organization care little for the painful experiences and feelings of political exiles in Miami-Dade County and across the country,”  added Garcia.

Senator Rick Scott (R) also reminded voters of MLB baseball games being played in Cuba “where the brutal Castro regime murders its own citizens and denies them basic human rights like freedom of speech and free elections.”