Introduction to the Issue
A Venezuelan baseball team was denied visas into the United States and will miss this year’s Senior Baseball World Series, Little League International confirmed Friday.
The Cacique Mara team, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, was scheduled to participate in the tournament after winning the Latin American championship in Mexico.
Background on the Team and Tournament
“The Cacique Mara Little League team from Venezuela was unfortunately unable to obtain the appropriate visas to travel to the Senior League Baseball World Series," Little League International said in a statement, adding that it is “extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.” The Venezuelan team traveled to Colombia two weeks ago to apply for their visas at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá.
Response from the U.S. Embassy and Team
The embassy did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment. “It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogotá with the hope that our children can fulfill their dreams of participating in a world championship,” the team said in a statement. “What do we do with so much injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?”
Travel Restrictions and Precedents
Venezuela is among a list of countries with restrictions for entering the U.S. or its territories. President Donald Trump has banned travel to the U.S. from 12 other countries, citing national security concerns. Earlier in the month, the Cuban women’s volleyball team was denied visas to participate in a tournament in Puerto Rico.
Specifics on the Visa Denial
“They told us that Venezuela is on a list because Trump says Venezuelans are a threat to the security of his state, of his country,” said Kendrick Gutiérrez, the league’s president in Venezuela. “It hasn’t been easy the situation; we earned the right to represent Latin America in the World Championship.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that flights have begun deporting undocumented immigrants from the so-called ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility in South Florida.
Impact on the Tournament
The Senior League Baseball World Series, a tournament for players aged 13-16, is played each year in Easley, South Carolina. It begins Saturday. The tournament organizers replaced the Venezuelans with the Santa Maria de Aguayo team from Tamaulipas, Mexico, the team that was a runner-up in the Latin American championship. “I think this is the first time this has happened, but it shouldn’t end this way. They’re going to replace us with another team because relations have been severed; it’s not fair,” Gutiérrez added. “I don’t understand why they put Mexico in at the last minute and left Venezuela out.”
Conclusion
The denial of visas to the Venezuelan baseball team is a significant setback for the young athletes who were looking forward to participating in the Senior Baseball World Series. The situation highlights the challenges faced by individuals from countries with restricted travel to the U.S. and the impact of political decisions on sports and cultural events.
FAQs
- Q: Why was the Venezuelan baseball team denied visas?
- A: The team was denied visas due to Venezuela being on a list of countries with travel restrictions to the U.S., citing national security concerns.
- Q: What tournament were they supposed to participate in?
- A: They were scheduled to participate in the Senior League Baseball World Series.
- Q: How did the tournament organizers respond to the situation?
- A: They replaced the Venezuelan team with a team from Mexico that was the runner-up in the Latin American championship.
- Q: What has been the reaction from the Venezuelan team and officials?
- A: They expressed disappointment and felt it was unfair, especially given the efforts they made to participate, including traveling to Colombia to apply for visas.
