Venezuelan Little League Team Denied US Visas Under Travel Ban

The Venezuelan Cacique Mara Little League baseball team was denied visas to enter the United States and participate in the 2025 Senior League Baseball World Series in South Carolina, despite winning the Latin American championship. The team traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, to apply for their visas but was denied due to President Donald Trump's travel bans affecting Venezuelan nationals, who are considered a security threat by the current administration. Little League International expressed disappointment over the decision, emphasizing the impact on the young athletes' dreams. In response, the runner-up team from Mexico, Santa Maria de Aguayo, was selected to replace Venezuela and represent the Latin America region in the tournament. This incident is part of a broader context of U.S. immigration restrictions affecting athletes from several countries, including Cuba, and raising concerns about future international sporting events hosted in the U.S. under Trump's policies. The Venezuelan team and their supporters voiced feelings of injustice and frustration over the visa denial and its impact on the players' opportunity to compete on the world stage.