Ozzie Guillen expresses regret, embarrassment over Castro comments

Ozzie Guillen accepted full responsibility for his comments about Fidel Castro and expressed extreme regret and embarrassment during a press conference at Marlins Park on Tuesday morning.

Speaking moments after his five-game suspension was announced by the Miami Marlins, Guillen said he did not mean to say he loved and respected the Cuban dictator in a Time magazine interview.

“I was thinking in Spanish and I said it wrong in English,� said Guillen, who answered questions in both his native Spanish and English during the press conference.

“I’m not saying the journalist was wrong. I was wrong. I had one thing in mind and I said something else.�

Guillen, from Venezuela, said repeatedly that he does not admire Castro -- “a person who has caused a lot of damage, a lot of pain,� he said -- even if that’s how his comments came out.

“I don’t want to make any excuses,� he said. “What I wanted to say was I was surprised Fidel Castro stayed in power so long.�

Throughout the press conference, which lasted more than 45 minutes, Guillen apologized many times.

“I feel like I betrayed my Latin community,� he said. “I’m here to say I’m sorry with my heart in my hands.�

He added: “I will do everything in my power to make it better. I’m very, very, very sorry.�

Guillen also said his five-game suspension is without pay, although “that is the last thing I’m going to think about right now.� He said he will apologize to the ballclub tomorrow for letting them down.

“It’s a very sad situation ... [to] not be there for them,� he said. “But “I respect the decision. I will take it, whatever they want me to do.�

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