Overview

• The Cacique Mara team from Maracaibo secured its World Series berth by winning the Latin American championship but was denied visas by the U.S. embassy in Bogotá and ruled ineligible to compete.
• Organizers advanced Santa Maria de Aguayo from Tamaulipas, Mexico, as the regional runner-up to maintain a 12-team field when the tournament opened on July 26 in Easley, South Carolina.
• Little League International called the visa denials “extremely disappointing” for the 13- to 16-year-olds and implemented emergency measures to ensure representation.
• Kendrick Gutiérrez, president of Venezuela’s Little League, said consular officers treated Venezuelans as security threats, leaving the young players demoralized and prompting formal appeals.
• The episode highlights gaps in the Trump administration’s travel ban policy, which exempts major global events but omits tournaments like the Senior League World Series, raising calls for clearer guidelines.