A forthcoming Little League international competition will proceed without one of its anticipated participants.
The Cacique Mara squad hailing from Maracaibo, Venezuela, encountered visa complications preventing their entry into the United States. Consequently, they will be unable to participate in the Senior League World Series, a tournament designed for players aged 13 to 16. Little League confirmed this development in a statement provided to WSPA, a South Carolina-based news outlet. Reports indicate that a team representing Victoria, Mexico, will assume Venezuela’s position as the Latin American representative in the tournament held in Easley, South Carolina.
The complete statement reads:
“Little League® International has received notification regarding the unfortunate inability of the Cacique Mara Little League team from Venezuela to secure the necessary visas for travel to the Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina. While this situation is profoundly disappointing, particularly for the young athletes involved, the Little League International Tournament Committee has resolved to invite the second-place team, Santa Maria de Aguayo Little League (Victoria, Mexico), to participate in the Senior League Baseball World Series. This decision ensures the Latin America Region maintains representation in the tournament and allows the players, coaches, and families from Mexico to enjoy a memorable World Series experience.”
The Senior League World Series occurs annually in Easley, featuring six teams from within the United States and six international teams. Last year’s tournament saw a different team from Maracaibo emerge victorious.
Reports suggest that the Venezuelan team’s visa ineligibility stems from a June executive directive issued by President Donald Trump, which restricts entry into the U.S. from specific nations. Venezuela is among the countries currently subject to these limitations.
The Venezuelan team, while attempting to secure visas in Bogota, Colombia, expressed their disappointment through a statement on Instagram, describing the decision as a “mockery,” according to a machine translation. Notably, Team Venezuela defeated the Mexican team that will replace them in the recent Latin American regional tournament.
The team’s president also conveyed his sentiments, as translated by World Baseball:
“The players’ spirits are low. Their primary focus is playing baseball. They aspire to compete and represent Venezuela and Latin America with honor. They pose no threat whatsoever; they are simply 15-year-old individuals seeking to win the World Cup,” stated Kendry Gutiérrez, president of the Cacique Mara Little League, the Maracaibo-based league that sponsors the team.
Although the Senior League World Series may not be a widely recognized tournament, the denial of entry to an international team into the U.S. could raise concerns for some, considering the numerous international sporting events scheduled to take place in the country over the next few years, including the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028.
Trump’s executive order includes exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.” However, this provision leaves ambiguity regarding the definition of a “major” sporting event and effectively assigns significant athletic authority to the Secretary of State.
Earlier this month, a Cuban women’s volleyball team similarly experienced visa denials when attempting to enter Puerto Rico.
