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• Sports
• Politics and Government
• 08 / 05 / 2007

"These citizens should not expect to be arrested in any way, and much less with the methods that the United States government uses in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo that are never used in our country," Castro wrote in an essay published Sunday in Juventud Rebelde.

Two-time Olympic boxing champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and Erislandy Lara were believed to be headed to Cuba from Brazil after being deported, if they had not arrived already. The details surrounding their disappearance remained unclear, but German boxing promoter Arena said last month it signed them to five-year contracts.

"They will be transferred provisionally to a guest house and they will be given access to their families," Castro wrote. "The press will also be able to contact them if it so desires."

Later, "they will be offered decent tasks in sports according to their knowledge and experience," Castro added. "Brazilian authorities can rest easy in the face of inevitable campaigns by adversaries. Cuba knows how to handle itself in these circumstances. I, for my part, will sleep well."

Brazilian federal police arrested the men Thursday for overstaying their visas. They were picked up in the coastal resort city of Cabo Frio, near Rio de Janeiro, where the games were held and where authorities said they had been partying at the resort and had run up an exorbitant tab.

The 25-year-old Rigondeaux failed to attend the weigh-in for his bantamweight bout against Carlos Cuadras of Mexico. Lara, 24, did not show for his welterweight bout against Ricardo Smith of Jamaica. Rigondeaux and Lara were disqualified and their opponents advanced to the semifinals.

The two boxers also said they had been contacted by a German businessman, and they gave their uniforms and passports to him.

Police said the pair had declined representation from lawyers apparently sent by the German businessman.

Castro last month blamed American money for their defection, saying the boxers were "knocked down with a blow straight to the chin, paid up with U.S. bills."

Since the 2004 Olympics, Cuban boxing has been beset by defections, with several champions now fighting professionally in the United States and Europe.

Rigondeaux won the Olympic gold medal in 2000 and 2004 and is also a world champion. He became Cuba's top boxer after the retirement of Mario Kindelan in 2004 and was looking for his third Pan American Games title.

Source: International Herald Tribune