Miguel Cabrera opened up on Tuesday about some of the serious issues that are going on in his native country of Venezuela, and the Detroit Tigers star says he fears for the safety of his family because of them.
In a series of videos he shared on Instagram, Cabrera blasted the Venezuelan government and said he has been threatened for trying to bring about change. Cabrera spoke in Spanish in the videos, but a translator transcribed the videos in English for the Detroit Free Press.
“I am tired of hearing that they are going to kidnap my mother, and I don’t know whether it is a policeman or a bad guy, I don’t know who they are,” Cabrera said. “All I know is if I don’t pay, those people disappear.
“I am only going to tell you one thing. The first advice I was given was not to get involved in politics and I never have. But right now we have to get involved, because they have kidnapped our country.”
Cabrera has spoken in the past about the economic crisis in Venezuela and expressed sympathy for those who have been affected by it. He also said people have threatened to kill him if he returns to his native land.
“They are telling me I am a pain in the a–,” Cabrera said. “I am out here fighting for my people. You might say, ‘Oh he is out here living the good life, while we are out here suffering in Venezuela.’ Like I was told by the chavistas, ‘If you come to Venezuela we will break you, we will kill you.’
“The only thing I will tell you is please, do not hurt my family. I am begging you.”
Cabrera offered support for those who have been part of the “resistance” in Venezuela. He said back in June that he has not been able to travel to Venezuela to organize charity events or visit his family because of all of the unrest.
As Tresa Baldas of the Free Press notes, at least 75 people have been killed in Venezuela over the past three months while protesting president Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government.
We’ve grown used to seeing Cabrera as a fun-loving guy who has hilarious interactions with fans, but he obviously has some serious personal problems going on. Here’s hoping his family remains safe.
