Young Venezuelan ball players 'wanted to stay' in U.S.

Young Venezuelan ball players 'wanted to stay' in U.S.

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While playing for Venezuela in baseball's Little League World Series in the United States last month, 12-year-old Adrian Salcedo ate tacos and Chick-fil-A, donned a virtual reality headset to envision himself hitting home runs in big league ballparks and marvelled at the lush grass of the fields.

Now back at his four-room house in the western city of Maracaibo, hard-hit by Venezuela's protracted political and economic crisis, the boy's hopes centre on his own version of the American Dream.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Salcedo and his mother Diana Nunez, 44.

"I want to make the big leagues and help my mother, so we can buy a house and get away from this," Salcedo said in an interview.

Professional baseball, which is wildly popular in parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, has long been viewed as a path out of poverty. And players from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba and Puerto Rico make up more than 20% of current big league rosters, according to Major League Baseball (MLB).

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Teenagers run in front of an old baseball scoreboard in Los Ninos Cantores stadium.

But Salcedo said his trip to the United States -- whose government is seeking to oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro through economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure -- highlighted some of the extraordinary challenges he and his teammates face.

"The ballplayers over there (in the U.S.) are fat, and they're not tired," Salcedo said, alluding to Venezuela's growing problems stemming from malnutrition and hunger.

Kids from other countries he spoke to during the tournament in Williamsport, Pennsylvania - the world's biggest youth baseball event - were aware of the problems facing Venezuela, said Salcedo, a lanky and soft-spoken left fielder.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Salcedo walks through his sister's yard.

"They asked us how we put up with all this," he said, referring to Venezuela's increasing state of decay.

Salcedo and 13 other players from Venezuela's Cacique Mara team qualified for the Little League World Series by winning a national championship and then a Latin America-wide tournament in Panama. They went on to beat Australia and Mexico before crashing out of the World Series with a loss to Curacao.

On their return home, late last month, the players were greeted by family members cheering and holding signs at the airport in Maracaibo, Venezuela's second-largest city.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Lightning in the sky during a storm.

Once the bustling oil capital of the OPEC nation, the city now regularly goes more than eight hours a day without power under a rationing plan that affects everything from running water to internet connectivity.

Many businesses have shut down since a wave of lootings during a prolonged power outage in March, leaving a cityscape marked by boarded-up storefronts and abandoned buildings.

Two days after returning to Maracaibo, Salcedo woke up in the middle of the night after a power outage knocked out his fan, leaving him tossing and turning in the Caribbean heat.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Salcedo trains with homemade weights.

He was so tired the next day that his mother, 44-year-old single homemaker Diana Nunez, had to browbeat him into doing his workout routine, which includes a makeshift weightlifting session with two sand-filled bottles strung to a pole.

Nunez said she used to serve her son beef or chicken every day, but lately she can only buy meat three times a week.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Players from Cacique Mara little league baseball team practice during training at Cacique Mara stadium.

Unlike the well-manicured U.S. ballparks, the field where Cacique Mara practices has no grass. A pump that used to irrigate it was stolen two years ago and lights, which once allowed teams to practice at night, have been out for years.

Funding for the U.S. trip and visa expenses, both for Cacique Mara's little league team and for a younger division that won a Latin America-wide championship in Mexico in early August, was a challenge.

Ultimately, the teams had to rely almost entirely on contributions from Venezuelan major leaguers and complimentary tickets from airlines due to a lack of support from the cash-strapped government, according to Cacique Mara director Daniel Gutierrez.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Ruiz drives in his father’s car to get fuel.

"It wasn't like this before, but now even gloves and cleats are luxuries," Gutierrez said.

Venezuela's Youth and Sports Ministry and the government's Information Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. But Pedro Infante, the minister for youth and sports, has blamed the U.S. "economic and financial blockade" on Venezuela for preventing the government from importing equipment and paying for athletes to travel overseas.

Baseball was briefly ensnared in the diplomatic dispute between Caracas and Washington last month, when the MLB banned players from participating in the upcoming Venezuelan professional league season due to U.S. sanctions.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Pinto poses for a photograph.

"When I arrived in the United States I was impressed," said outfielder Eduar Pinto, 12, who enjoyed going out to eat and playing in the game room in the team's dorm in Williamsport.

"When the time came to return, I didn't want to come back. I wanted to stay there."

While players' families often struggle to buy them everything they need, relief could be on the way soon for at least some of Cacique Mara's stars. Many are aiming to join one of Maracaibo's numerous private baseball academies, which provide players with food and equipment in exchange for a cut of any eventual professional contract they may sign.

Such contracts are far from guaranteed in the hyper-competitive world of sports, however, and Nunez acknowledged her son may have to put his hopes on hold.

. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero
Salcedo sits with his mother and sister at his sister's house during an electricity cut.

"If he doesn't make the major leagues, it doesn't matter to me, but I want him to study, to be a professional," said Nunez, whose brother - like more than 1 million other Venezuelans - has migrated to neighbouring Colombia to find work and help the family.

"If he doesn't graduate, he's not going to get a job. Let's hope that by then, Venezuela will have gotten better."

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Slideshow

A card showing a major league player lies in the yard of Salcedo’s sister's home.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

A card showing a major league player lies in the yard of Salcedo’s sister's home.

Little league players Ibrahim Ruiz (bottom right), 13, and Salcedo take part in a psychological therapy session.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Little league players Ibrahim Ruiz (bottom right), 13, and Salcedo take part in a psychological therapy session.

Ibrahim Ruiz helps a driver to push his car while queueing for fuel.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Ibrahim Ruiz helps a driver to push his car while queueing for fuel.

Salcedo talks with a neighbour.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo talks with a neighbour.

Salcedo holds chicks at his sister's house.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo holds chicks at his sister's house.

Salcedo and his mother Diana Nunez take an informal taxi.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo and his mother Diana Nunez take an informal taxi.

Baseball little league player Santiago Lopez, 10, practices baseball during an electricity cut at his house.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Baseball little league player Santiago Lopez, 10, practices baseball during an electricity cut at his house.

Lopez drinks water after training at his house during an electricity cut.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Lopez drinks water after training at his house during an electricity cut.

A baseball glove belonging to little league player Eduar Pinto.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

A baseball glove belonging to little league player Eduar Pinto.

Salcedo (right) talks with his teammate Ibrahim (second right) at a pizza restaurant.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo (right) talks with his teammate Ibrahim (second right) at a pizza restaurant.

Daniel Boscan, coach of Cacique Mara little league baseball team, speaks with players prior to training at Cacique Mara stadium.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Daniel Boscan, coach of Cacique Mara little league baseball team, speaks with players prior to training at Cacique Mara stadium.

Ibrahim stretches before training at Diamonds Prospect baseball academy.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Ibrahim stretches before training at Diamonds Prospect baseball academy.

Salcedo talks with with Ruiz's father, Jorge Ruiz, after being accepted in Diamonds Prospect baseball academy.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo talks with with Ruiz's father, Jorge Ruiz, after being accepted in Diamonds Prospect baseball academy.

Jorge Ruiz, father of baseball little league player Ibrahim, shows a picture taken for him of the players during the Latin American tournament in Panama.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Jorge Ruiz, father of baseball little league player Ibrahim, shows a picture taken for him of the players during the Latin American tournament in Panama.

Ruiz shows the world tournament yearbook of 2019 where his team appears.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Ruiz shows the world tournament yearbook of 2019 where his team appears.

Salcedo swims with friends during a pool party.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo swims with friends during a pool party.

Salcedo takes a bath at his home.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo takes a bath at his home.

Salcedo holds a piece of paper that reads 'discipline' after a psychological therapy session.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Salcedo holds a piece of paper that reads 'discipline' after a psychological therapy session.

Windows from a building are seen during an electricity cut in Maracaibo.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Windows from a building are seen during an electricity cut in Maracaibo.

Looted cars are seen abandoned near Ramon Laguna thermoelectric station.
. Maracaibo, Venezuela. Reuters/Manaure Quintero

Looted cars are seen abandoned near Ramon Laguna thermoelectric station.