US Denies Visa to Venezuelan Teens for World Series Tournament, Despite Invitation from Little League

Venezuelan teenage baseball players were denied entry into the US for a World Series tournament despite a formal invitation from the US Little League. The team's president said they were not given a specific reason for the refusal. The US President's June proclamation prohibited entry from 12 countries, including Venezuela, and restricted entry for nationals of seven others. The denial has been linked to a narrative around Venezuelan immigrants being a threat to the US.

The United States is reviewing a decision to deny entry to a Venezuelan Little League team that had been due to compete in an international baseball tournament in South Carolina, the State Department confirmed on Saturday [1]. The Cacique Mara Little League team, which had finished with a record of 5-0 in the Latin America region, is now out of contention for this year’s 2025 Senior League Baseball World Series [1].

The team was unable to obtain the necessary entry visas, a development that was "extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes," according to Little League International [1]. The organization stated that a Mexican team would compete in its place to ensure the tournament could proceed [1].

The denial of entry comes amidst a broader U.S. policy of restricting visas for citizens of certain countries. U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation in June that barred entry to people from 12 countries and restricted entry by nationals of seven others, including Venezuela [1]. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday, but the State Department said it was reviewing the matter [1].

"The consular officers are currently working to review the case to confirm proper procedures were followed and necessary appeals were submitted by the visa applicants," a spokesperson for the State Department said [1]. The denial has been linked to a narrative around Venezuelan immigrants being a threat to the U.S. [2].

The 2025 Senior League Baseball World Series is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 2 in Easley, South Carolina [1].

References:
[1] https://gvwire.com/2025/08/02/us-reviewing-visa-denial-for-venezuelan-little-league-players-state-department-says/
[2] https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/us-reviewing-visa-denial-for-venezuelan-little-league-players-state-department-says-4166838