Inside Marlins Park, Ozzie Guillen apologized for "betraying his Hispanic community," but outside the front gates, a sizable crowd of Cuban-American protesters made it clear they were in no mood to forgive or forget his statements praising Fidel Castro.
"We never can forgive what he said," Blanco Garcia said. Click through for video of the protests organized by hardline Cuban group Vigilia Mambisa.
In all, around 150 protesters gathered outside the stadium to wave American and Cuban flags and signs. Garcia, who hosts an online radio show, says she doubts Cuban fans will ever return to the taxpayer-funded ballpark in Little Havana while Guillen is filling out the lineup cards.
"Now he says he's sorry, but it's not true," she says. "He's just afraid he'll lose money."
If Guillen expects the uproar to disappear after his presser today, the protesters outside the stadium promised he'll have no such luck. The group plans to be back outside the front gate later this week when the team returns for its first real home stand.
Politicians also figure to keep calling for Guillen's head. As protesters chanted outside the ballpark, a small plane circled the stadium with a sign reading, "Joe Martinez Apoya con la Comunidad." ("Joe Martinez Stands With the Community.")
The county commission chairman was the first politico to call for Guillen's firing, and -- surprise, surprise -- Martinez is running for mayor.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes. Tim Elfrink writes about politics, crime and South Florida insanity @timelfrinkmia
