Cuban outfielder Alfredo Despaigne Caught Using a Fake Dominican Passport to Play in Mexico

HAVANA TIMES — Hard-hitting Cuban outfielder Alfredo Despaigne, a star of the national team of Cuba, is in the eye of a storm created after it was discovered he’s playing under contract with the Pirates of Campeche in Mexico using a fake Dominican passport, reported Café Fuerte.

Sports journalist Enrique Rojas reported on ESPN.com that the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) has opened an investigation into the case after confirming through the Dominican authorities that Despaigne’s passport is completely irregular and was made with data from two Dominican nationals and a fake ID card.

The Cuban apparently used the Dominican passport to sign on to the roster of the Campeche Pirates, a Triple A level team affiliated with US Major League Baseball. The relationship with the Pirates and MLB had created a difficulty for Despaigne to receive the payment of his contract, due to the regulations of the over half-century US embargo on Cuba.

Although other Cubans have played professional baseball in Mexico for years, the situation changed in the current season. The Mexican Baseball league had been forewarned that it’s teams could not sign Cuban players who had fixed residence on the island to prevent violations of the embargo.