The United States government has denied the Cuban girls’ youth softball team the opportunity to participate in the Little League World Series, a move that Cuban authorities say turns the dreams of young athletes into collateral damage of political hostility.

The 14 girls from the La Palma team in Pinar del Río, national champions in the 9–10-year-old category, received their visas. However, the seven adult members of their coaching and support staff were denied entry, without what Cuban officials consider a valid explanation.

“This denial of visas to the Cuban girls’ softball technical team is part of the current offensive by the U.S. government against Cuba,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez stated on social media platform X. He added that such actions undermine the right to develop sports and violate the principles and commitments of the event organizers.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also condemned the decision, calling it a blow to sports and a theft of the young athletes’ dreams.

“How do we explain to these girls that, after so much effort, the petty politics of the United States has stolen their dream of playing in the Little League World Series in Puerto Rico?” the president asked.

Cuban officials expressed concern over the broader implications of the decision, warning that it could jeopardize the country’s participation in future international events, including the upcoming Olympic Games and the next World Baseball Classic.