Latest news with #Barquisimeto
National Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Venezuelan team allowed to enter U.S. to compete in Little League World Series
A youth baseball team from Venezuela has been granted visas to represent the Latin America region at the upcoming Little League World Series in Pennsylvania, according to a league spokesperson, securing exemptions from the State Department to enter the United States despite representing a country under travel restrictions instituted by President Donald Trump. Article content Article content Brian McClintock, a senior executive for communications at Little League International, said in a statement the State Department notified Little League International that the Cardenales Little League team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 'has received their visas and will be able to represent the Latin America Region at the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series.' Article content 'The seven Little League World Series tournaments, a role model of diplomacy for decades, are where kids from all different cultures connect on the fields and build lasting friendships and bonds, and we are grateful for all those who supported these players throughout this process, including the U.S. Department of State,' McClintock added. Article content Venezuela is one of several countries whose nationals are restricted from or limited in travel into the U.S. under the proclamation signed by Trump in June. Article content The Cardenales Little League team is one of 20 regional champions from around the world set to compete in the 78th Little League Baseball World Series, a nationally televised event for players ages 10-12 that begins later this month. Article content The team revealed on social media Friday that their visas had been approved for the tournament, which is held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Article content 'The dream of our children will soon come true,' the team said in a translated Instagram post. 'Williamsport here we come.' Article content Another Venezuelan Little League team, the Cacique Mara from Maracaibo, was denied entry to the U.S. last month for the Senior League Baseball World Series in South Carolina. At the time, Little League International said the team had been 'unable to obtain the appropriate visas,' calling the decision to deny their entry 'extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.' Article content At the time that the Cacique Mara team's entry to the U.S. was denied, a senior State Department official told The Washington Post that officials were 'working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants.' Article content The decision to bar the athletes from entering the U.S. comes as the country prepares to host some FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Article content Though Trump's travel ban restrictions include an exception for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State,' members of the Cuban women's national volleyball team were denied visas to enter Puerto Rico to compete in a tournament last month. Article content
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Venezuelan team allowed to enter U.S., compete in Little League World Series
A youth baseball team from Venezuela has been granted visas to represent the Latin America region at the upcoming Little League World Series in Pennsylvania, according to a league spokesperson, securing exemptions from the State Department to enter the United States despite representing a country under travel restrictions instituted by President Donald Trump. Brian McClintock, a senior executive for communications at Little League International, said in a statement the State Department notified Little League International that the Cardenales Little League team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 'has received their visas and will be able to represent the Latin America Region at the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series.' 'The seven Little League World Series tournaments, a role model of diplomacy for decades, are where kids from all different cultures connect on the fields and build lasting friendships and bonds, and we are grateful for all those who supported these players throughout this process, including the U.S. Department of State,' McClintock added. Venezuela is one of several countries whose nationals are restricted from or limited in travel into the U.S. under the proclamation signed by Trump in June. The Cardenales Little League team is one of 20 regional champions from around the world set to compete in the 78th Little League Baseball World Series, a nationally televised event for players ages 10-12 that begins later this month. The team revealed on social media Friday that their visas had been approved for the tournament, which is held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. 'The dream of our children will soon come true,' the team said in a translated Instagram post. 'Williamsport here we come.' Another Venezuelan Little League team, the Cacique Mara from Maracaibo, was denied entry to the U.S. last month for the Senior League Baseball World Series in South Carolina. At the time, Little League International said the team had been 'unable to obtain the appropriate visas,' calling the decision to deny their entry 'extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.' At the time that the Cacique Mara team's entry to the U.S. was denied, a senior State Department official told The Washington Post that officials were 'working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants.' The decision to bar the athletes from entering the U.S. comes as the country prepares to host some FIFA World Cup matches in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Though Trump's travel ban restrictions include an exception for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State,' members of the Cuban women's national volleyball team were denied visas to enter Puerto Rico to compete in a tournament last month. Vivian Ho contributed to this report.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Venezuelan Little League team granted exemption to President Trump's travel ban after senior team denied entry
A team from Venezuela has received approval from the Trump administration to participate in the 2025 Little League World Series, two weeks after a team from the same country was denied entry for a different tournament. The team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, the winners of last month's Latin America region tournament, was granted a "national exemption" to enter the country, per The Athletic. The effort reportedly required both the intervention of Sen. David McCormick (R-Penn.) and a personal sign-off from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The team's Instagram account confirmed it was playing over the weekend. The team's status was in limbo following the denial of a team from Maracaibo, Venezuela to play in the Senior League World Series, a Little League-run tournament for players between 13 and 16 years old. Venezuela is one of seven countries facing a limited ban on entry into the U.S. following an executive order from President Donald Trump. That order grants exceptions to 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State." However, that leaves Rubio as the arbiter for what constitutes a "major sporting event," leaving uncertainty for any international event looking to take place in the country. The order specifically carves out an opening for those involved with the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but even that leaves uncertainty based on what is considered a "necessary support role" or "immediate relative." St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, one of 86 players born in Venezuela to appear in MLB this year, blasted the Senior League team's situation in an interview with The Athletic: 'What pisses me off is they earned the right to be here,' Contreras said of the team that was barred last month. 'They are little kids chasing dreams. I put myself in their shoes because I was a kid once, and I dreamed of being in the Little League World Series once.' In the case of the Little League team, McCormick, a Trump ally on immigration, reportedly worked with the State Department to ensure the Venezuelans were granted entry, via the Athletic: 'I am thrilled my team and I were able to play a small role in making sure young athletes are able to chase their dreams and participate in this timeless Pennsylvania tradition,' McCormick said in a statement to The Athletic. MLB also reportedly offered help to Little League with the visa process, after months of following the Trump's lead on topics such as reinstating Pete Rose from the ineligible list and eliminating mentions of its diversity programs from its site. The 2025 Little League World Series is scheduled to take place from Aug. 13-24 in Williamsport, Penn.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty to Kentucky Derby 2025 win. What to know about journey
About five weeks ago, Junior Alvarado was heartbroken. The 38-year-old jockey from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, fractured his shoulder blade in a spill at Gulfstream Park days before the Florida Derby. After riding Sovereignty in each of his four career starts, Alvarado was forced to watch him race from the hospital. "If it's meant to be, it's meant to be," Alvarado thought to himself. Advertisement But something nagged at him. If he couldn't heal up in time to ride the Into Mischief colt in the Kentucky Derby, would he have missed his chance? After five attempts with Mohaymen (fourth in 2016), Enticed (14th in 2018), Tax (14th in 2019), Rocket Can (ninth in 2023) and Resilience (sixth in 2024), Alvarado felt certain of one thing. Of Sovereignty. This was the right horse for me to win the Derby. Trainer Bill Mott, a longtime collaborator of Alvarado's, called him the day after he was discharged from the hospital. Mott promised his jockey he'd be able to reunite with Sovereignty in the Run for the Roses as long as he recovered in time. That quieted Alvarado's worried heart. And Saturday, his beloved colt proved to the world that they were kismet. The pair rode to victory in the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. It marked their fifth start together and second at the commonwealth's most famed racetrack. Alvarado and Sovereignty came out of Post 16, finishing the 1 ¼-mile race in 2:02.31 — ahead of second-place Journalism. Sovereignty improved to 3-2-0 across six starts with the win. Advertisement With the victory, Alvarado won his first Triple Crown race and delivered trainer Bill Mott his second Derby win. It was Mott's first victory "the natural way," as one reporter put it during their postrace news conference. Mott previously won with Country House via disqualification in 2019. "It's just a really special feeling to win and have it happen for the team," Mott said. "Number one, my regular rider, Junior Alvarado." To have had him pilot Sovereignty to victory, Mott felt, made it even sweeter. Another member of that team is ownership group Godolphin, LLC. Alvarado, Sovereignty and Mott's efforts delivered Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum his first Derby win in 13 tries. Godolphin's best finish before Saturday came with Essential Quality (third) in 2021. Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan gushed over Alvarado after the race. Sovereignty had clipped another horse's hind heels and bobbled a bit at the start. But Alvarado kept him steady, leading Sovereignty past 3-1 favorite Journalism after a productive turn for home. Advertisement "The confidence Junior has in the horse, especially a horse coming from off the pace like that, having known him so well, I think that really helped him get there today. Because he (Sovereignty) knows he's (Alvarado's) going to be there for him." Alvarado stroked Sovereignty's neck as he guided the colt from the mud onto the turf track and toward the winner's circle. The jockey grabbed a yellow rag, wrung it out and guided it along Sovereignty's dark brown mane. This horse had just granted him immortality. The least Alvarado could do was tidy him up a bit before draping the rose garland over his shoulders. Growing up in Venezuela, the only American horse racing event Alvarado could catch on TV was the Kentucky Derby. "That would be nice," Alvarado thought then, "to be in the United States riding (in) the Kentucky Derby." Advertisement Decades later, he realized and surpassed that dream. He had years to plan a victory speech of sorts. But Saturday night, nothing felt good enough. "I tried to think," Alvarado said. "What words can I use when people ask me, 'What does it feel (like) to win the Derby?' And I don't know if I'm gonna be able (to), actually, to find the right words that can describe this feeling that I have right now." Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@ and follow her on X @petitus25. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Junior Alvarado: Kentucky Derby results, Sovereignty jockey name
