As the world looks ahead to the 2028 Olympic Games set to take place in Los Angeles, a growing diplomatic storm is brewing far from the stadiums and training grounds. At its center: nearly 100 Cuban athletes, coaches, and sports officials who, since early 2025, have been systematically denied visas by the United States government. This move, according to multiple sources including ACN and The Militant, could prevent Cuba’s young athletes from participating in crucial qualifying events, effectively excluding them from the upcoming Olympics.
The controversy has not gone unnoticed. On November 28, 2025, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Foreign Minister, publicly expressed his gratitude for China’s unwavering support against what he described as the United States’ hostile policies toward Cuba. Taking to social media platform X, Rodriguez Parrilla highlighted recent statements from the Chinese government and its Foreign Ministry, both of which condemned Washington’s blockade against Cuba and called for the island’s removal from the unilateral list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism.
China’s backing comes at a time when international scrutiny of the U.S. approach toward Cuba is intensifying. On November 27, 2025, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged the United States to heed what he described as the “international community’s call for justice” and to immediately lift its sanctions against Cuba, as reported by Xinhua. Guo specifically referenced the preliminary findings from a visit to Cuba by UN Special Rapporteur Alena Douhan, who concluded that U.S. policy has had serious impacts on Cuba’s economy and humanitarian situation. Guo emphasized that Douhan’s report aligns with a recent resolution adopted by 165 countries at the UN General Assembly, which demanded an end to the U.S. blockade.
“China urges the United States to heed the international community’s call for justice, immediately lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba, and remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism,” Guo declared at a press conference, according to Xinhua. This sentiment was echoed by Rodriguez Parrilla, who thanked China for its “firm stance” and for giving voice to a growing chorus of nations calling for a change in U.S. policy.
Meanwhile, the human impact of these geopolitical maneuvers is being felt most acutely by Cuban athletes and sports officials. In a surprising twist, the U.S.—as host of the 2028 Games—has denied visa requests to nearly 100 Cuban sports figures, a move that could block their participation in Olympic qualifying events. This has triggered an international outcry and the launch of the “Let Them Play” campaign, spearheaded by more than 70 leaders of Cuba solidarity organizations from the U.S., Canada, and beyond.
On November 23, 2025, these activists gathered in a video meeting organized by the LA US Hands Off Cuba Committee to strategize their next steps. The campaign’s goal is simple but urgent: to demand that the U.S. government grant visas to Cuban athletes, ensuring they can compete on equal footing and pursue their Olympic dreams. The group also plans to lobby the International Olympic Committee to push back against what they see as an exclusionary policy.
Yasser Ibarra, first secretary to the Cuban Embassy in Washington, addressed the meeting and expressed deep appreciation for the solidarity shown. “When a country denies an athlete the basic right to compete, it is not only disrupting a sports calendar, it is damaging careers, individual efforts, collective dreams, and the possibility of representing an entire nation with dignity,” Ibarra told the group. He stressed that these obstacles are “part of a broader policy of pressure and hostility that also manifests itself in the field of sports—another expression of Washington’s pressure imposed on the Cuban people.”
Ibarra went on to clarify the campaign’s mission: “'Let Them Play' is not a slogan; it is a fundamental call for justice. We want our athletes to have access to qualifying competitions and, even if they secure their Olympic spots, we want to ensure they do not face new excuses or obstacles.” He called on participants to actively spread the campaign, reach out to organizations, engage with sports groups and political representatives, and help ensure the issue does not fade into silence.
The campaign has quickly found support among a diverse array of groups, including the International Association of Machinists, the Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific, Codepink, Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba, Puentes de Amor/Bridges of Love, the National Network on Cuba, the Democratic Socialists of America Cuba Solidarity Working Group, and Pastors for Peace. These organizations have agreed to collaborate on sending messages to the U.S. State Department and the International Olympic Committee, urging them to allow Cuban athletes to participate.
Prominent labor and solidarity figures have also lent their voices. Kevin Kucera, Los Angeles Area Director of District 190 of the International Association of Machinists; Michael Vera from the Inland Boatmen’s Union; Bob Schwartz of Global Health Partners; and Medea Benjamin of Codepink are among those promoting the effort. Tamara Hansen, coordinator of Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba, and Carlos Lazo, organizer of Puentes de Amor/Bridges of Love, have also joined in, along with Danny Valdes of the Democratic Socialists of America Cuba Solidarity Working Group and John Waller, former national coordinator of Pastors for Peace Caravans to Cuba.
“Anyone who believes all countries should get a fair shot at participating in these games should join this campaign to demand the Cubans not be excluded,” Norton Sandler, Socialist Workers Party candidate for governor of California, told The Militant after the meeting. Sandler framed the U.S. government’s actions as part of a decadeslong economic and political war against Cuba, “aimed at punishing them for having made a socialist revolution.”
For those interested in supporting the campaign, organizers have set up a website, LetCubaPlay.com, and can be contacted via [email protected]. The hope is that a groundswell of international solidarity—and mounting diplomatic pressure—will persuade U.S. authorities to reverse course before the Olympic torch is lit in Los Angeles.
This standoff over sports visas has become a flashpoint in the broader debate over U.S.-Cuba relations, with both sides digging in their heels. On one side, Washington maintains its longstanding policies, citing national security and political considerations. On the other, Cuba and its supporters argue that such measures are outdated, unjust, and out of step with the Olympic spirit of international cooperation and fair play.
As the countdown to the 2028 Olympics continues, the fate of Cuba’s athletes hangs in the balance. Whether they will be allowed to compete—or be left on the sidelines—remains to be seen, but the campaign to “Let Them Play” has already galvanized a global community determined to keep the dream of competition alive.