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MIAMI (AP) — Pablo Cuerta was watching batting practice before the U.S.-Venezuela championship game at the World Baseball Classic, when the realization hit him.
He couldn’t lose.
There were thousands of Venezuelans at the game in Miami on Tuesday night. There were thousands of Americans at the game as well. And some — like Cuerta, a Venezuelan-American — got to basically cheer for both sides. His shirt: a Venezuela jersey. His hat: the Venezuelan team cap. And draped over his shoulders, tied across his chest: the U.S. flag.
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“I was born in Venezuela, and this country gave me the opportunity to come, to be a citizen,” said Cuerta, who drove from his home near Orlando for the final days of the tournament in Miami. “I appreciate both countries, you know. One, I was born in Venezuela. And two, this one gave me everything I’ve got. So, I’m proud to have both countries.”
As they have throughout the tournament, Venezuelan fans showed up in a big way to see their team in Miami; all seven of their team’s games at the WBC were played inside the Miami Marlins’ ballpark. From the outset, these unusual political times — Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro is currently jailed in New York and facing drug trafficking charges, after American forces executed a military operation in Venezuela earlier this year to capture him — have not had much of an effect on the joy Venezuelans have for this event, even with it being played on U.S. soil.
When both flags were brought to home plate as part of the pregame ceremony, the building simply roared.
“Super emotional with Venezuela and being here for the championship game. This is beyond sport. It is well deserved,” said Argenis Masiaf, a Miami resident who had the Venezuelan flag painted on his face for the game. “We have lived through many difficult things inside our country. This is the moment for Venezuela to accomplish something so special and memorable.”
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Venezuela’s players and coaches have tried to avoid all political talk. They’ve said in many ways that they’re at the WBC to play baseball, and manager Omar López reiterated that…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/miami-wbc-final-both-venezuelan-002032655.html
Author : TIM REYNOLDS
Publish date : 2026-03-18 00:20:00
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