U.S. Denies Visas to Cuban Baseball Officials

Eight members of Cuba's delegation have been denied visas to enter the United States for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS) announced this Thursday, expressing strong disapproval of the decision. Among those denied are FCBS president Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo and general secretary Carlos del Pino Muñoz, as well as pitching coach Pedro Luis Lazo.

This situation arises as Cuba prepares to compete in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from March 5-17 against teams from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama, and Canada. The Federation stated that the U.S. response ignores the fundamental principles of sport and the commitments made by event hosts. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, suggested that the denials pertained to executives and officials rather than active athletes, though the State Department cited privacy laws for not commenting.

Cuba's team, which finished third in the previous WBC, also had exhibition games scheduled in Arizona. The country is one of seven nations with existing travel restrictions to the U.S. This incident echoes a past event where a Venezuelan team was denied U.S. visas, forcing them to miss a tournament.