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Héctor Villar Gorostola, one of the best-known faces of sports journalism on Cuban state television, was rejected by U.S. immigration authorities and forced to return on the same flight he had arrived on.
The inadmission occurred when the journalist was attempting to enter the country to participate in activities related to the coverage of the , according to a report from AmericaTeVe.
Villar was detained upon arriving at the airport and returned on the same flight, without being able to complete his entry into U.S. territory.
Federal authorities did not provide an official explanation for the reasons behind the decision, which is common in these types of immigration procedures, as they are not obligated to publicly disclose the details of an inadmissibility.
The case is striking because Villar had visited the United States multiple times before without any issues.
In fact, the host was in Miami during this year's World Baseball Classic and had made other trips related to international sports coverage.
Rejection occurs in the context of a hardening of U.S. immigration policy towards Cuba. On June 4, 2025, President Trump signed a presidential proclamation that has been in effect since June 9 of that year, which restricts the entry of Cuban citizens with B-1, B-2, F, M, and J visas, citing Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and its lack of cooperation in repatriations.
Additionally, the U.S. Embassy in Havana has applied Section 212(a)(3)(D) of the Immigration and Nationality Act with greater rigor, which excludes individuals with affiliations or collaboration with the Communist Party, a provision that directly affects those who work for Cuban state institutions.
Villar hosts The Perfect Play, a sports program on Cuban television that has been on air for nearly two decades, achieving a wide audience thanks to exclusive interviews and international coverage that is uncommon for journalists on the island.
Her career, however, has not been without controversies. In October 2024, she sparked controversy by promoting the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz in Cuba through leasing on Instagram, which was criticized for contrasting with the country's economic crisis. Then, in May 2025, she was again criticized for promoting a vehicle of the same brand from Madrid.
The denial of entry to the United States does not completely close off the opportunities for the journalist to cover the tournament, as Mexico and Canada are also hosts of the 2026 World Cup.
For now, it is unclear whether Villar will attempt to obtain a new authorization to enter U.S. territory or if he will choose to continue his work from one of the other two host countries.
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