A Little League baseball team from Venezuela has been denied visas into the US, leaving them unable to play in the Senior League World Series in South Carolina, officials said Friday.
Little League International explained in a statement that the undefeated Cacique Mara team couldn’t “obtain the appropriate visas” to head the tournament after first traveling to Colombia two weeks ago to apply at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá.
The State Department says it is reviewing the situation. The Senior League World Series takes place from July 26 through Aug. 2.
Doc Mogford #7 of the Southwest Region team from Boerne, Texas tags out Santiago Bello #14 of the Latin America Region team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela at home plate during the Little League World Series on August 25, 2024. Getty Images“Our consular officers are currently working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants,” a State Department spokesperson told The Post.
The team, which hails from Maracaibo, Venezuela, was expecting to participate in the Senior League World Series in Easley after winning the Latin American Little League championship in Mexico on June 16.
Senior League Baseball celebrated the Venezuelan victory, writing in a social media post, “See you all in 40 days for the first pitch!”
“It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogota with the hope that our children can fulfill their dreams of participating in a world championship,” a statement from the team read.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with opposition leaders to Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. REUTERS“What do we do with such injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?”
It is not immediately clear why the team was denied travel visas.
The Trump administration issued partial travel bans to seven countries, including Venezuela, earlier this month — tacking on full bans for 12 other countries — citing national security concerns.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently met with opposition leaders in Venezuela who oppose current President Nicolas Maduro, who the top American diplomat, has called “illegitimate.”
President Trump announced new travel restrictions on over a dozen countries earlier this month. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm, and nothing will stop us from keeping America safe,” President Trump said in a June 4 video posted to X.
Cuba, which appears on the new travel restrictions list, has previously fielded teams in the Little League World Series and used to have its own dedicated region in the international baseball organization.
No team from Cuba qualified for the Senior or Little World Series tournament this year.
The Senior League World Series is an international tournament of players ages 13 to 16 that invites 12 teams to play. Venezuela has long been home to some of the most famous baseball players, such as Miguel Cabrera and Jose Altuve.
Venezuela has won the Senior League World Series on three occasions. The contest began in 1961.
