Cuban athletes begin immigration regularization process in the Dominican Republic after the Santo Domingo 2026 Games
The situation of the Cuban athletes who decided not to return to their country after finishing their participation in the 2026 Santo Domingo Central American and Caribbean Games continues to generate reactions. Recently, it was confirmed that two of the five athletes who left the official delegation appeared before the Refugee Office of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM) to manage their legal stay on Dominican soil.
The information was disseminated through the Azúcar con Libertad platform, which has closely followed the status of these athletes. Among the athletes who have taken the step toward regularization is softball player Yasmani Álvarez, who becomes one of the central figures of this migratory process.
Álvarez initially expressed a state of nervousness regarding the uncertainty of the process; however, after being assisted by the staff of the General Directorate of Migration, he stated that he felt much calmer due to the professional and humane treatment received from the official who handled his case.
Migration process details
Although the defection of five members of the Cuban delegation has been reported, Dominican authorities remain cautious regarding the full identities of those involved. The procedure followed by the athletes falls under the regulations of the Refugee Office, the entity in charge of individually evaluating each file of foreigners seeking protection or immigration status in the country.
- Yasmani Álvarez is the second athlete confirmed to have formally initiated his paperwork.
- The process seeks to grant them legal status for their prolonged stay in the Dominican Republic.
- The competent authorities continue to analyze each individual case under the established protocols.
It is expected that, over the course of the next few days, new updates will emerge regarding the legal situation of the rest of the Cuban athletes, as well as significant progress on the applications that have already been filed with the Dominican immigration authorities.
