Diaz-Canel regrets death of president of Cuban Baseball Federation

Havana, May 13 (Prensa Latina) President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday regretted the death of the head of the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB), Higinio Velez, as a result of Covid-19-related complications.

May 13, 2021
CDT11:15 (GMT) -0400

Published by: Prensa Latina

The president tweeted that the pandemic ‘continues to claim valuable lives, hitting families and dreams.’

‘This is what I think when I learned about Higinio Velez’s death. Condolences to his family and colleagues,’ he noted.

Velez, who was the manager of Cuba’s runner-up team during the first World Classic (2006), fought for several days against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, according to a press release published on Jit’s website.

The head of the FCB led the Cuban teams at the Pan-American Games in Indianapolis (1987) and Santo Domingo (2003), the world cups in Taichung (2001), Havana (2003) and Rotterdam (2005), and the Athens Olympics (2004).

Velez was one of Cuba’s most successful coaches, he led the Baseball Directorate between 2007 and 2014, and held international responsibilities, including vice president of the Pan-American sports confederation.

Cuban senior sports authorities also mourned his death, which took place days after National Baseball Commissioner Ernesto Reynoso died of Covid-19.

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