By: Manuel Polanco
“This country gives you an opportunity to change your life,” said Venezuelan native and Cincinnati Reds third baseman Eugenio “Geno Suarez.”
“And now you feel pressure. Now you feel scared because you don’t know what’s going to happen if you’re driving down the highway and somebody stops you. Even if you are a citizen.”
Suarez shared this in an article from The Daily Express US and discussed his fears of deportation amid the rise of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids around the country. Suarez went on to say his U.S. citizenship process was canceled last December.
“They shut down everything, so I couldn’t have it. Because of the Venezuela thing. […]It is what it is. I respect the decision,” Suarez said. Despite the hardship to obtain his citizenship, Suarez would strike gold and hit the key double that helped Venezuela beat the United States in the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Venezuela’s win in the WBC demonstrates the underlying resilience of Latin American countries.
Venezuela, whilst being a powerhouse in the majors, wasn’t really thought of as a team capable of reaching the WBC and taking down a team like the U.S. However, they disproved all those theories by eliminating Team Japan in pool play and advancing to the semifinals. Japan was the reigning WBC champions and a team that always made it out of pool play every year they participated in the WBC.
This is something the players themselves understood; no one believed in them or considered them a worthy final opponent. But as the tournament went on, it was clear they were special this year and coming for gold. This sentiment was shared by Team Venezuela manager Omar Lopez as he said in a pre-game interview.
“God gave me the opportunity to be here again, and I accepted the challenge, and here I am,” he added. “I am humble. I’m a person that wants the very best for my country from the baseball players or, in this case, a manager’s perspective.”
Before they faced off with Team USA, Venezuela had to go through the surprisingly hot Team Italia in the semifinals. A team managed by former baseball player Francisco Cervelli, who shares both Italian and Venezuelan heritage. Both teams were in the midst of a Cinderella run, and both were led by a new manager with a new mindset instilled in each player.
During that game, Venezuela rallied in the 7th inning, scoring three runs, which helped them win 4-2 and head to the WBC finals for the first time in history.
Their next opponent? The mighty Team USA. One team was energized by their love of their country and people, and the other played with a mindset that some took as “act like you’ve been there before”, painting them as boring, dry, and unlikable.
The stage was set, and it couldn’t have been more politically charged: Team USA vs Team Venezuela. In early January, the U.S. conducted a military raid in Caracas, Venezuela, and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The couple was extradited from their home country and sent to the U.S. to face crimes, including narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Despite the public’s perception of Maduro, it wasn’t lost on many that the players were gonna fight for their country.
Lopez understood the public opinion of Venezuela ahead of the WBC.
“In all parts of the world, the same things that they say about us, those countries have the same problems, but they look at us like we’re bad people. That was more fuel for me, to demonstrate that this team, working together, we can unite 30 million people,” Lopez said in an interview with ESPN.
New York Mets rookie pitcher Nolan McLean was set to start for Team USA, and lefty pitcher Eduardo “E-Rod” Rodriguez was slated to start for Team Venezuela.
Both pitchers gave it their all, and by the 8th inning, the score was 2-0 Venezuela. They got those runs via a sac fly from veteran and team captain, Salvador Perez, and a home run coming off the bat from Boston Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu.
Perez said in the same ESPN interview, “But when you play for your country, it’s a little bit beyond that. That feeling, the country where you were born and raised, the sacrifices your parents make, the people who helped you. That’s why this means a lot to me and a lot to Venezuela too.”
The Venezuelan bullpen was dominant after E-Rod departed and held Team USA scoreless for four and a third innings, but in the bottom of the 8th, Bryce Harper hit a home run against Andres Machado, tying the game and silencing the Venezuelan faithful in the crowd. All was not lost, however, as a leadoff walk in the top of the ninth inning led to Venezuela pinch-running for Javier Sanoja, who later stole second base.
Up came to bat Suarez, hitting one of the most important doubles of his career to left center field, scoring Senoja and helping Venezuela take a 3-2 lead. Daniel Palencia came to close, and in a perfect bottom of the 9th inning, he made easy work of the U.S. and struck out the last batter.
History written, and Venezuela stands alone as the winners of the 2026 WBC. Kansas City Royals player Maikel Garcia earned the honor of most valuable player (MVP) for the tournament.
In his victory speech, Suarez thanked God and his people.
“They deserve it. Venezuela, as a country, everyone who is here, those who are in our country, deserve this and much more. And I’m sure this is a little piece of the happiness they deserve.”