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Cuba is set to play against Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama and
Canada in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during pool play of the WBC,
which is scheduled from March 5-17.
Among the Cubans that were denied visas are FCBS president Juan
Reinaldo Pérez Pardo and general secretary Carlos del Pino Muñoz.
Pitching coach Pedro Luis Lazo was also denied.
A person with direct knowledge said all Cuban players and
coaches except for Lazo received visas. The person spoke to The
Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because no
announcements have been made regarding player visas. The State
Department declined to comment on the Cuban complaint citing
visa privacy laws, but a U.S. official, speaking on condition of
anonymity to discuss the confidential matter, also said none of
those denied visas are actual athletes but rather executives and
officials.
“The United States’ response, after more than a month since
these requests were submitted, ignores the reasons on which they
are based, the most basic principles of sport, and the
commitments assumed by the host countries of such events” the
Federation said in a statement.
The Cubans finished third at the previous WBC in 2023. The team
has exhibition games scheduled next week against the Kansas City
Royals and the Cincinnati Reds in Arizona.
Cuba is among a list of seven countries with travel restrictions
to the United States alongside Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone,
Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
Last year, the Cacique Mara team, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, was
denied visas into the United States and missed the Senior
Baseball World Series.
The Cuban Federation said that it “will analyze how to proceed,
and will inform in due course."
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