Former Major League Baseball player Dennis Martínez gave “thank God” for the decision of the Nicaraguan dictatorship to remove his name from the National Baseball Stadium that was used as a headquarters for the paramilitaries and the Police itself, during the 2018 orchestrated repression by the presidential couple.
«I thanked God that they had removed it because I honestly did not want to be involved in something that had been used by paramilitaries and snipers to attack and kill people, I did not want to be involved in that because the stadium was not for that. To a certain extent I felt that they were staining my name, I asked God to pass (remove the name) and it happened, I thanked him because I now feel free, “said Martínez in an interview with the sports journalist and political prisoner released Miguel Mendoza.
Related news: Dictatorship removes Dennis Martínez’s name from the National Baseball Stadium
The Nicaraguan player stated that he had not requested the withdrawal of his name before because “I left it in the hands of them who are the ones who do and undo it, I did not feel it was the right thing for me to resign because I had already done so from the moment I I spoke out saying that I did not agree with what they had done ».
The name of Dennis Martínez was not only removed from the exterior of the Stadium, but it was also removed from the social media accounts of the venue and from the propaganda of the matches. The regime wanted to erase all traces of the greatest figure in Nicaraguan baseball in the Major Leagues. Martínez is a member of the World Baseball Hall of Fame.
During the social outbreak, in April 2018, they denounced that the National Stadium was used as a headquarters for the paramilitaries and the Police itself, who were shooting at protesters from the colossus. This caused repulsion to the greatest glory of Nicaraguan baseball. In June of that year, Martínez rebelled against the dictatorship and demanded that the regime stop murdering citizens from the Stadium that bears his name.
“It hurts me to know that the stadium that bears my name is being occupied for purposes of violence, affecting my Nicaraguan brothers,” he said at the time.
During this morning’s baseball match between Nicaragua and Venezuela, Martínez was in charge of the first pitch that he threw in homage to Monsignor Rolando Álvarez, a bishop imprisoned by the Nicaraguan dictatorship. «This for me is something very significant, it was an honor for me that they gave me the opportunity to have the first pitch and dedicate it to a person who has shown me what is required as a Nicaraguan, what we need, people of value and courage. not to let them decide for us,” he said.
«One has to have feelings and values to determine what we are doing. To me, he’s giving a demonstration, an incredible example. The heroism of Monsignor Álvarez is faultless and he will be remembered for the rest of time, no one can forget this, “added Martínez.
