SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Major League Baseball teams swiftly moved to ensure the safety and timely arrival of their Venezuelan players to spring training camps in Florida and Arizona following the U.S.-led military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3, 2026.
The coordinated effort to bring players to the U.S. Stemmed from immediate concerns about potential instability and logistical challenges in Venezuela, according to multiple front office executives and player agents. The operation, which led to Maduro’s de facto removal from power, prompted teams to proactively address potential visa and travel disruptions.
“As soon as the Maduro thing happened, teams were like, ‘Let’s obtain guys here sooner rather than later,’” said an agent representing several Venezuelan-born players. “So, a lot of guys have just been here for a while.”
Venezuelan players without U.S. Citizenship or residency require P-1A visas to play professionally in the U.S. With the U.S. Embassy in Caracas closed since 2019, players have been forced to travel to Colombia or the Dominican Republic to process their visa applications before entering the United States. This process, already complex, faced additional hurdles in the wake of the political upheaval.
Several agents reported significant delays in visa processing in Colombia, with one client spending over three weeks awaiting approval before being able to travel to Arizona for spring training. These delays have been attributed, in part, to increased scrutiny of visa applications from both Venezuela and the Dominican Republic amid broader U.S. Efforts to tighten immigration policies. In 2025, players from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic comprised 61.5% of Opening Day rosters.
Teams responded by initiating the visa process earlier than usual. “I’ve never dealt with a team in December trying to process visas, especially for a guy who’s never been in trouble,” one agent noted, highlighting the unusual urgency.
As of this week, full-squad workouts are scheduled to start across the 30 major league teams. While a handful of players were late arrivals to spring training, a typical occurrence, only two confirmed cases involved Venezuelan players: Atlanta Braves reliever Robert Suarez and Chicago Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros.
The Los Angeles Angels were among the teams that prioritized the early arrival of their Venezuelan players. “We were proactive in having our [Venezuelan] players come out early,” said Angels general manager Perry Minasian.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio, who was playing winter ball in Venezuela when the U.S. Military operation commenced, initially expressed a desire to remain in his home country. However, Brewers personnel urged him to return to the U.S. For his safety. “They’re under a lot of pressure,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. “They want to play for their country, and locally there’s pressure. I understand that. But we have to make sure they’re safe.”
The situation unfolded against a backdrop of existing U.S. Travel restrictions. In June 2024, President Donald Trump signed a travel ban affecting nationals of 12 countries, including Venezuela, with partial restrictions too in place for seven others. However, the order included an exemption for athletes and support personnel traveling for major sporting events, a provision that the U.S. Department of State has reportedly been leveraging to facilitate the entry of MLB players from Venezuela.
There is an expectation that the U.S. Embassy in Caracas will eventually reopen and that direct commercial flights between Venezuela and the U.S. Will resume after a seven-year suspension. These developments offer hope for a more streamlined visa process for Venezuelan players in the future. For now, teams and players are focused on navigating the current challenges and ensuring a smooth start to the 2026 baseball season.
