Alofoke Offers Job to Cuban Athlete Who Defected in the Dominican Republic

Santiago Matías, widely recognized as Alofoke in the Dominican Republic, had an unexpected encounter with Moisés David Torres, a Cuban field hockey goalkeeper who defected from his country's delegation during the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. Without hesitation, Alofoke offered him a job on the spot.

The meeting was captured on video and shared on Instagram, where it quickly gained over 82,000 likes and nearly 4,800 comments. In the video, Alofoke recognizes Torres when the young man mentions he is the Cuban athlete who stayed behind. "You're the Cuban who left, right? God bless you, brother," Alofoke remarks. When asked if he has found work yet, Torres replies no, prompting an immediate response from Alofoke.

"On Monday, let him into the red building. I'm giving you a job," Alofoke tells his colleague Damián, who, according to the video, typically stands at the entrance of the media group's headquarters.

However, the gesture extended beyond a spontaneous promise caught on camera. Alofoke later confirmed on Instagram that he had already consulted with his legal team to formalize the arrangement: "I've spoken with my lawyers to reach a fair employment agreement, so we can proceed with obtaining temporary residency. Cuba can rest assured Moisés is in good hands."

The "Red Building" refers to Alofoke Media Group's headquarters, home to Alofoke FM 99.3, the same platform where Moisés Torres shared his story in late August on "Esto No Es Radio."

During that interview, the 21-year-old athlete from Las Tunas detailed the harsh conditions that led to his defection on July 24, making him the first Cuban athlete to leave during the games. He cited meager salaries of 3,500 pesos, while a single meal could cost between 1,000 and 2,000 pesos, along with four-hour daily training sessions without adequate food, and living 14 hours away from his family.

Torres also expressed that returning to Cuba was not an option: "If I go back to Cuba, prison is what awaits me. There is a penal code that calls it treason to the homeland. What could they give you? Eight years in prison."

Until his encounter with Alofoke, Torres remained in the Dominican Republic without a passport—retained by the Cuban delegation since his arrival—and without formal employment. The Dominican communicator's gesture was celebrated on social media as an act of solidarity, offering Torres a potential path to regularize his immigration status in the country.

Alongside Torres, at least four other Cuban athletes also stayed behind in the Dominican Republic during the Santo Domingo Games, marking one of the most notable instances of sports defection in recent years.