Four Cuban Athletes Defect During Junior Pan American Games in Paraguay: The Details

In a recent turn of events at the Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025 held in Paraguay, four Cuban athletes have defected from their national delegation. The athletes, who participated in the games, opted not to return to their accommodations on Wednesday. According to local Paraguayan media reports, they plan to seek asylum in Paraguay.

The athletes involved include rowers Félix Puentes Batista, Robert Landy Fernández Agramonte, and Keiler Ávila Núñez, as well as handball player Suannet de la Caridad Nápoles Jiménez. A Paraguayan police official disclosed that the athletes went sightseeing yesterday afternoon and at some point separated from their group. Subsequently, one of them contacted the delegation leader to inform them of their decision not to return.

Notably, the athletes do not possess their passports—a common practice for Cuban sports delegations—leaving them without official documentation. Camilo Pérez, president of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, publicly clarified the situation to prevent false rumors or misunderstandings about a possible disappearance or abduction. "I want to clarify that they are not missing. They left their delegation voluntarily. We received communication from the Cuban delegation and we were the ones who filed the corresponding report," Pérez stated to local media.

Additionally, Paraguay's Interior Minister Enrique Riera confirmed that the athletes, all of whom are adults, have expressed their intention to settle in Paraguay. Although there are no current details about their whereabouts or legal status, it is believed that they will approach the National Refugee Commission to commence an asylum request.

Achievements in Rowing

The Cuban rowing team celebrated its first medal at the II Junior Pan American Games last weekend, securing a bronze in the eight rowing with coxswain event in Asunción Bay, Paraguay. The team, led by Roberto Carlos Paz, finished with a time of 5:45.96 minutes, trailing only Chile and Brazil. "It is an honor to have contributed the first medal for Cuba. I am very happy with the team, the coaches, and everyone who supported us to get here," Paz expressed in statements recorded by the official newspaper Granma.

Increasing Defections of Cuban Athletes

The trend of Cuban athletes defecting during international sports events is on the rise. In November 2023, during the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, five members of the Cuban field hockey team and a hurdler also defected to seek asylum. This pattern highlights the increasing frequency at which Cuban athletes use these opportunities to escape their home country, where many report precarious conditions, lack of personal freedoms, and limited professional development opportunities.

While the Paraguayan Olympic Committee has refrained from commenting on political matters, the situation inevitably points to a phenomenon that extends beyond sports. Behind each defection are personal stories, unfulfilled dreams, and tough decisions made under pressure. For these young athletes, seeking a new beginning away from home means facing uncertainty but also the chance to build a life with greater freedoms.

As of now, Paraguayan authorities have not disclosed details regarding the migration process the athletes will follow or whether they will receive institutional support or assistance from human rights organizations.