Venezuelan baseball team denied visas into US, Little League International says

AP A Venezuelan baseball squad was denied visas into the United States and will miss this year s Senior Baseball World Series Little League International validated Friday The Cacique Mara band from Maracaibo Venezuela was scheduled to participate in the tournament after winning the Latin American championship in Mexico The Cacique Mara Little League band from Venezuela was unfortunately unable to obtain the appropriate visas to voyage to the Senior League Baseball World Series Little League International stated in a report adding that it is extremely disappointing especially to these young athletes The Venezuelan group traveled to Colombia two weeks ago to apply for their visas at the U S embassy in Bogot The embassy did not forthwith respond to an Associated Press request for comment It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogot with the hope that our children can fulfill their dreams of participating in a world championship the group announced in a declaration What do we do with so much injustice what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children Venezuela is among a list of countries with restrictions for entering the U S or its territories President Donald Trump has banned tour to the U S from other countries citing national precaution concerns Earlier in the month the Cuban women s volleyball unit was denied visas to participate in a tournament in Puerto Rico They reported us that Venezuela is on a list because Trump says Venezuelans are a threat to the assurance of his state of his country mentioned Kendrick Guti rrez the league s president in Venezuela It hasn t been easy the situation we earned the right to represent Latin America in the World Championship The Senior League Baseball World Series a tournament for players aged - is played each year in Easley South Carolina It begins Saturday The tournament organizers replaced the Venezuelans with the Santa Maria de Aguayo crew from Tamaulipas Mexico the club that was a runner-up in the Latin American championship I think this is the first time this has happened but it shouldn t end this way They re going to replace us with another band because relations have been severed it s not fair Guti rrez added I don t understand why they put Mexico in at the last minute and left Venezuela out