LAST MINUTE: Yulieski Gurriel was denied entry to Cuba

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After Yulieski Gurriel dramatically decided to stay in the 2016 Dominican Caribbean Series, the news of his return to his country would generate a total impact. First, because at that time he was the most important, media and popular baseball player in Cuba, and to add to that the dramatic and highly controversial environment that surrounded that separation of Cuban baseball with all the marginalization that followed in the media and other significant contexts. All despite the significance achieved in the best baseball in the world.

Well, that trip was about to happen this Saturday but everything was frustrated from one moment to another. According to totally reliable sources, the 2021 American League batting champion, Yuli Gurriel, was denied entry to Cuba when everything seemed to be coming true.

Yuli was going to travel in a private plane to Havana and from there to Varadero, by road, to meet with the other part of her family that still resides on the Island, and it was yesterday that the emigration notification arrived that she was not allowed to access without much further explanation.

In a publication by a relative of Gurriel, what was reported in this note can also be verified, in which his relative Yudith Castillo complains about not being able to meet with Yulieski for reasons beyond his control.

«Heading to Varadero to meet again with part of the Gurriel Castillo family. Although the main character 10 will be missing for reasons beyond his control and the will of others. But despite all the inconveniences, from his height he is going to give satisfaction to his family, which is the most important thing he has in Cuba, not to mention friends and fans.

The same sources that made this event known to us, assured that in emigration from Cuba everything was in order, but they waited until the last moment to say that I could NOT enter the country. Obviously, it was not a decision made by them but from above. Much more…

It is valid to clarify that under the current Cuban constitution, Cuban athletes no longer have to wait eight, but five years after leaving an official delegation to return to their country. He and his brother stayed in the Dominican in 2016 and in February 2021 it was half a decade since that event. Due to previous legislation, the first baseman for the Houston Astros could not have traveled to Cuba until 2024. The same applies to his brother Lourdes Jr., of course, although he decided to keep training at home with a view to the next Major League season. .

A couple of weeks ago, his father Lourdes had traveled to Cuba, although his case is different in theory. He had legally traveled to the United States with his wife Olga Lidia and their eldest son Yunieski.

In recent years almost all Cuban Major League players had traveled to Cuba. Perhaps the only one missing from those who enter the star rank was Yuli, who had personally stated that he had not done so until now due to the laws of his country.

Regardless of the arguments that the regime may have internally to prevent Yuli Gurriel from entering national territory, there is no logical or legal reason to do so. Not even having shown solidarity with what happened on July 11 justifies this.

But there is no doubt that everything related to Yulieski Gurriel on and off the field of play will always generate a lot of attention and comments. Of course, this topic will generate a very intense debate among its millions of followers and detractors, who would still speak for better or worse about this trip. And that logically applies to those who made the decision, in which the result would most likely have been different with almost any other player.