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Sella lasted only 67 seconds in his first Olympic fight, leading
him to apologize for his loss and generating a wave of
solidarity among Venezuelans who him as an icon of the
difficulties suffered under the country's economic crisis.
On Thursday, the 24-year-old published a photo on Instagram with
the message "today I am blessed to start over in this country
that without thinking twice opened the doors and gave me the
keys to make this my new home (...) Thank you Uruguay!"
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in late
July it had been seeking to help Sella and his family. A UNHCR
spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday that Uruguay had accepted the
agency's petition to offer Sella resettlement, or the transfer
of a refugee from an asylum country to another state and
ultimately grant them permanent residence.
In a statement, Uruguay's foreign ministry said it had agreed to
resettle a Venezuelan citizen at UNHCR's request, but did not
name Sella.
Sella's father, Edward, said in an interview after the fight
that Trinidad and Tobago would not allow him to return. It was
not immediately evident why he could not return.
Venezuela's information ministry did not immediately respond to
a request for comment. Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said in
July that Sella was "not a refugee" and could return to
Venezuela.
(Reporting by Vivian Sequera, writing by Brian Ellsworth)
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