Venezuelans in exile urge U.S. to deny visa to soccer player over ties to Maduro regime
A Miami-based Venezuelan exile organization has asked the U.S. State Department to deny the visa of a Venezuelan soccer player set to participate in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, due to his close ties to the Nicolás Maduro regime.
In a letter sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Politically Persecuted Venezuelans Abroad, or VEPPEX, expressed concern over the imminent entry into the U.S. of Matías Lacava, a player on the South Korean team Ulsan HD, which will play its first match on U.S. soil on June 17 at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando.
Matías Lacava is the son of Rafael Lacava, current governor of Carabobo state in north-central Venezuela and a prominent figure in Maduro's regime. The official was sanctioned on Feb. 25, 2019, by the U.S. government along with three other Venezuelan governors for corruption and obstructing humanitarian aid.
In the letter, VEPPEX argues that allowing the entry of immediate relatives of sanctioned officials such as Matías Lacava represents a clear contradiction to the principles of justice, accountability and respect for human rights that the United States has historically upheld.
'Allowing the son of a top Maduro regime official to enter the U.S. for an international sporting event is a direct affront to the Venezuelan exile community, many of whom have fled precisely the oppression that family represents,' the letter stated.
The organization formally requested that the State Department revoke any valid visa or entry permit held by Matías Lacava and deny him entry into the country until a thorough review of his case is conducted, 'taking into account possible implications for human rights and national security.'
In its decision to sanction Rafael Lacava in 2019, the Treasury Department argued that the four governors were involved in endemic corruption practices and that he helped obstruct the delivery of critical humanitarian aid, thereby worsening the ongoing humanitarian crisis 'caused by Maduro's illegitimate regime.'
In Rafael Lacava's specific case, the department noted that he 'has long been a friend and key intermediary' of Maduro and continues to act on his behalf. 'In early 2018, he was accused of hiding funds in Switzerland and Andorra.'
Rafael Lacava was re-elected in the controversial regional elections held on May 25, which were widely denounced for lack of transparency, voter repression and the exclusion of opposition candidates, according to VEPPEX.
For the Venezuelan exile community, the case of Matías Lacava 'carries deep symbolic weight' because, according to VEPPEX, the United States has been a bastion of hope and refuge for thousands of politically persecuted individuals, and decisions like this send a contradictory message about its stance toward authoritarian regimes.
'We trust that you will take swift and decisive action on this matter,' the letter to the leadership of the State Department concludes.
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