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Unverified claims of Venezuela defeating U.S. in 2026 World Baseball Classic final and Trump Truth Social post

Unverified claims of Venezuela defeating U.S. in 2026 World Baseball Classic final and Trump Truth Social post
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Authored by freebet.icu, 18 Mar 2026

A story circulating online claims Venezuela defeated the United States 3-2 in the World Baseball Classic final on March 17, 2026, at loanDepot park in Miami, Florida, prompting former U.S. President Donald Trump to post "STATEHOOD!!!" on Truth Social.[1]

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is scheduled for February 6 to March 19, 2026, with the championship round, including semifinals and final, at loanDepot park in Miami. As of October 2024, no matches have been played, and no official results confirm a Venezuela-U.S. final or Venezuela's first WBC title.[1][2]

A review of Donald Trump's Truth Social profile shows no post matching the described "STATEHOOD!!!" or a prior semifinal message referencing statehood after a purported Venezuela-Italy game on March 16, 2026.[3]

The story includes unconfirmed details such as Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez declaring a national holiday, quotes from players including Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves and captain Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals, and a solo home run by Wilyer Abreu. These players have represented Venezuela in prior WBC tournaments, but no 2026 match reports exist.[4]

Political context in the story, including a U.S. military operation capturing Nicolás Maduro in early 2026 and a U.S. flag raised at the Caracas embassy, is unverified. Maduro was sworn in for a third term on January 10, 2024, following a disputed July 2024 election, and the U.S. embassy remains closed to the public since 2019.[5][6]

Venezuela reached the quarterfinals of the 2023 WBC before losing 9-7 to the U.S.; Japan won the title 3-2 over the U.S.[4]

Sources

  1. World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), "World Baseball Classic 2026", Accessed October 10, 2024, https://www.wbsc.org/en/event/world-baseball-classic-2026
  2. MLB.com, "World Baseball Classic 2026: Dates, venues announced", August 12, 2024, https://www.mlb.com/news/world-baseball-classic-2026-dates-venues-announced
  3. Truth Social, "Donald J. Trump Profile", Accessed October 10, 2024, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump
  4. Wikipedia, "World Baseball Classic", Accessed October 10, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic
  5. Reuters, "Venezuela's Maduro sworn in as president after disputed vote", January 10, 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuelas-maduro-sworn-president-after-disputed-vote-2024-01-10/