Venezuelan Exile Group Urges U.S. to Revoke Visa for Son of Maduro Ally Ahead of Club World Cup

A Venezuelan exile group in the United States has formally asked the State Department to revoke the visa of Matías Lacava, the son of Rafael Lacava, a prominent Chavista governor. Matías, a player for South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai, is scheduled to enter the U.S. to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off this Saturday.

The request, signed by José Antonio Colina, president of Veppex (Venezuelans Persecuted Politically in Exile), was addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In the letter, Colina asks for the “immediate revocation of any visa or entry permit granted to Matías Lacava, given his direct relationship with a senior official of the Maduro regime.”

The appeal comes during a broader policy shift by the Trump administration, which recently announced new entry restrictions for citizens from 19 countries. Venezuela is among seven countries now subject to partial limitations. “Allowing Lacava to compete would be a direct insult to the Venezuelan exile community,” Colina stated.

Lacava, 21, is a promising midfielder and part of Venezuela’s emerging football generation. His planned participation in the international tournament in the U.S. could stir tension within a diaspora already wary of figures linked to the Maduro government.