Players call for action, share concern for crisis in Venezuela

As their families and countrymen suffer, some of Major League Baseball’s most prominent Venezuelans are using social media to urge their armed forces to let humanitarian aid enter their country.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s troops have blocked humanitarian aid into the country, prompting violent clashes with the starving population.

Former American League Most Valuable Player Miguel Cabrera, young All-Star Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, former defensive wizard Omar Vizquel and former big league manager Al Pedrique are among the Venezuelans who have pleaded on social media.

“Dear friends, this Omar Vizquel talking to you,” Vizquel said on Instagram. The 11-time Gold Glove winner will manage the Class AA Birmingham team in the White Sox organization in 2019. “With this opportunity, I’d like to ask all the people who are in charge or have the power to facilitate the humanitarian aid to Venezuela to please open the doors.

“We need this for the people most in need, people like seniors, children who cannot receive this medicine. Please, we ask for a little bit of compassion so that this help can be possible so we can all benefit from this in the future. So Venezuela, I’m with you. I love you a lot. At any moment that I can use my image to help you I will be there for you. Arriva Venezuela. Yes, we can.”

Former Diamondbacks manager Pedrique, who famously fudged José Altuve’s height to help entice the Astros to sign the eventual American League MVP out of Venezuela, made his plea Thursday, the same day Maduro blocked the border with Brazil.

Pedrique, who wore a Venezuelan cap and held a Venezuelan flag, made his plea hours before Venezuelan troops killed fellow citizens near the Brazilian border on Friday morning.

“I address you, the Venezuelan soldier,” Pedrique said. “Don’t lend yourself to block the humanitarian aid into our country. It’s time for a rebirth for peace and love and to reconnect and beat the crisis that we face.”

Contreras, 26, made his plea two day before the deadly clashes.

“Good afternoon, my people,” he said on his Instagram page Wednesday. “As the whole world knows, and it’s no secret for anybody, today in Venezuela there is no food, no medicine. There are children dying of hunger. There are children dying of malnutrition.

“There are children digging in trash to find food. Not just children, adolescents and seniors are also looking for food in the trash to feed their children. There are people crying for their families because there’s no medicine to treat their different illnesses. Enough of that. It’s time to unite and show our support for Humanitarian aid. As we all know, many and thousands of Venezuelans will benefit from that great help.”

Atlanta’s Ender Inciarte, a native of Maracaibo, directed his plea to Venezuela’s armed forces before Thursday’s clashes back home.

Noting countrymen who are dying because of a lack of medicine or food, he called for Venezuelans to unite in asking for humanitarian aid.

“That’s why I want to make a plea to the national armed forces,” Inciarte, 28, said. “Brothers, those of you who are a father, brother, son, friend, who have a family, I beg you to get on the right side of history.

“We need you so that aid gets to the people who are in need. It’s time to retrain and understand the people are first and there are lives to save. This 23rd of February it’s in your hands to be on the side of the constitution so that aid reaches all the people who count on you.”

While making his plea, Cuban defector Euclides Rojas joined Cervelli to share his experience under Fidel Castro’s regime.

Cabrera, 35, shared a video that showed several military officials and drew a sharp contrast to a crowd of Venezuelans. He also used the hashtag #DejaPasarlaAyuda, which means “Let the aid pass.”

“Your time to decide between drowning with the dictatorship or listening to your people is over,” the ominous video read. “It’s time to decide. #DejaPasarLaAyuda”

Hernán Pérez begged the armed forces to get on the side of all the Venezuelans who are dying of hunger.