Cuban government denies entry to player Yulieski Gurriel

The immigration authorities of CubaThey denied entry to the star Major League player, Yulieski Gurriel Castillo, who for the first time was trying to return to the country and reunite with part of his family, who resides in the Sancti Spíritus area.

The web portalSwing Completo reported that the player,American League batting champion in the 2021 season, I was planning to travel ina private plane to Havana and from there continue on the road to Varadero, where the meeting of the Gurriel-Castillo family would take place.

This Fridaythe popular first baseman of the Houston Astros and holder of theWorld Series in 2017 learned of the refusal to enter Cuba, without receiving an explanation of the reasons for preventing his return to Cuba, six years afterleft the National Baseball Team with his brother Lourdes Jr, during the Caribbean Series in the Dominican Republic in 2016.

According to Cuban regulations, athletes who leave national teams no longer have to wait eight years before being able to return to the country, but the ban is only five.limit that was met for Yulieski Gurriel and his brother,Lourdes Gurriel in February 2021.

However, the details of the ban have not been specified, nor has Gurriel commented on the fact. In fact, it remains to be clarified whether the air transport authorities in the United States approved the flight, since lPrivate charters to Cuba were suspended by the Donald Trump administration since October 2020.

Trump's measure suspended charter flights between the United States and all Cuban airports, except authorized public charters to and from Havana, and mainly affects celebrities, business executives, companies, professional entities and associations traveling to Cuba. on private planes.

But the ban on entry to Gurriel is not an isolated event. Last weekCuban authorities denied access to the country to slugger Lisbán Correa, former Industriales player and current member of Astronautas de Los Santos in the professional league of Panama. Correa was forced to return to Panama for being included on the list of “defecting athletes.”

Yudith Castillo Ruiz, a relative of the Major League star, published a post on Facebook, regarding the disappointment that everyone felt due to the absence of Yuli Gurriel.

“Heading to Varadero to meet part of the Gurriel Castillo family again. Although the main protagonist 10 will be missing for reasons beyond his control and the will of others. But despite all the inconveniences, from his height he will give satisfaction to his family, which is the most important thing he has in Cuba, without forgetting to mention friends and fans,” he wrote.

A few weeks ago, the father of the Cuban star,Lourdes Gurriel traveled to Cuba,although his immigration situation is different, since he emigrated regularly to the United States, along withhis wife Olga Lidia and his eldest son Yunieski. The Gourriel Castillo family currently resides in a mansion in southwest Miami.

The family suffered a painful loss last year in Cuba. He is also a baseball player and coach.Yoanis Delgado Pedroso, former head of the Sancti Spíritus teams, died last September in Sancti Spíritus, a victim of COVID-19, at the age of Yoanis was the son of former player and member of the Cuba team, José Raúl Delgado, uncle of Lourdes Gourriel, Sr.

The Gurriels stayed up to date with the evolution of Yoanis' illness and deeply regretted his death, as stated on social media.

In recent years some Cuban Major League players had traveled to Cuba, among themJose Dariel “Pito” Abreu, Aroldis Chapman and Yasiel Puig.

In the 2021 season, Yulieski Gurriel was a key piece in his team's advancement to the World Series discussion. In addition to winning the batting title, he also wonthe Golden Glove, an award that recognizes the best defensive players in each position in the Major Leagues.

The athlete,born of the Holy Spirit He said he was very grateful to his coaches, his Astros teammates and his family for all the support they give him and that allows him to achieve these results.

At 37 years old, Yuli Gurriel established himself asthe second oldest player in the entire MLB to be crowned batting champion. “El Piña”, as the fans also know him, is only surpassedby the great Barry Bonds, who completed the feat in 2002, at 38.