The arrival of Nicolás Maduro to power in Venezuela marked a turning point for national sport. Following the death of Hugo Chávez and his subsequent election in 2013, the country faced the end of the oil boom, which directly impacted state investment in the sports sector.Since then, Venezuelan sport has navigated a path full of challenges, marked by the economic crisis, the scarcity of resources, and the deterioration of infrastructure, despite some notable individual achievements at the international level.
Investments and Decline
During the years of oil boom, the Venezuelan State allocated significant sums to sporting events. A prominent example was the 2007 Copa América, for which nearly 1.2 billion dollars were invested in stadiums and infrastructure. At that time, the country’s economic growth reached 8.8% of GDP.However, by 2013, when Maduro assumed the presidency, growth had slowed to 1.35%, anticipating a deep recession that would culminate in hyperinflation exceeding 130,000% in 2018.
Achievements in the Midst of Adversity
Despite the economic difficulties, Venezuelan sport has celebrated some of its greatest successes during Maduro’s term. Among them, the gold medal of Yulimar Rojas in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (held in 2021) and the runner-up finish of the U-20 national soccer team in South Korea, under the technical direction of Rafael Dudamel, stand out.However, the increasing statization of sport and the lack of resources have led many athletes to seek opportunities outside the country, while maintaining their link with Venezuela.Yulimar Rojas, one of the most emblematic figures of Venezuelan athletics, resides in Spain and competes under the discipline of FC Barcelona.
Deteriorating Infrastructure
The economic crisis has also severely affected sports facilities. The fall in GDP, which plummeted to 30% in 2020, and the exodus of millions of Venezuelans further reduced the capacity for public investment.As a result, emblematic facilities such as the Brígido Iriarte stadium in Caracas or the Olympic pools of Guatamare in Margarita show advanced deterioration.
Baseball, a Reflection of the Crisis
Baseball, the country’s most popular sport and one of its main international showcases, has been one of the most affected. Economic and logistical difficulties prevented Venezuela from hosting the Caribbean Series in 2018 and 2019, editions that should have been held in Mexico and Panama.It wasn’t until 2023 that the country hosted the tournament again, an occasion that served to inaugurate the Monumental Simón Bolívar Stadium in Caracas, in an attempt to regain prominence on the regional stage.
An Uncertain Landscape
The balance of Venezuelan sport in the era of Nicolás Maduro reveals a contrasting reality: individual successes that coexist with a weakened system, affected by the economic crisis, the emigration of talent, and structural precariousness. Although figures like Yulimar Rojas have kept Venezuela on the world sports map, the challenge of rebuilding a solid base for national sport remains an outstanding task.
