Seven Cuban athletes who participated in the Pan American Games in Santiago have decided to stay in Chile and request asylum or refugee status, their lawyer told AFP on Tuesday.
“There are seven athletes, six women and one man, who will ask for refuge or asylum,” said Mr.e Mijail Bonito without specifying their identity.
Chilean media identified them as six members of the field hockey team and a 400m hurdles runner who won a bronze medal in the games which ended on Sunday.
“Their primary intention is to stay in Chile,” assured Mr. Bonito, explaining that he came into contact with the seven athletes when they had already left their delegation.
“None of them are in Santiago, they are hosted by friends and support groups in three different regions” of the country, he said.
The seven athletes have visas to stay in the country until Sunday. On the other hand, they do not have their passport with them after having had to give it to their sports officials when they arrived in the country in mid-October.
Cuba is going through its worst economic crisis since the fall of the Soviet bloc, with shortages of all kinds and recurring power cuts, leading to an unprecedented wave of migration.
High-level sport is not spared, with nearly 200 athletes who have defected since 2022, including Olympic or world champions, such as wrestler Ismael Borrero, canoeist Fernando Dayan and discus throwing specialist Yaime Pérez.
The Pan American Games are held every four years on the American continent. It is a multi-sport competition in which thousands of athletes from countries in the region participate.