If good results have been scarce during the 53-year-old official’s tenure, promises have been plentiful
14ymedio, Havana, December 29, 2025 — With a bit of luck and by chance, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo found himself twice within the organizational structure of Cuban state sports. The man whose leadership of led Cuban baseball to its worst world ranking in history was appointed four years ago as head of the National Baseball Commission, following the death of Ernesto Reynoso from COVID-19. Months later he became president of the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCB), after the death of Higinio Vélez. This led him to assume two responsibilities that the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) had previously separated
Except for the fortuitous fourth-place finish achieved by the Cuban team in the last World Baseball Classic in 2023, the national team has suffered setbacks in the various international events in which it participated during the tenure of this official born in Villa Clara. In the Premier 12 tournament, which brings together the best teams in the world, Team Asere went from sixth place in 2015 to second-to-last place (11th), tied with Puerto Rico, in 2024.
The accumulation of bad results caused Cuba to drop to 12th place in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) rankings in the middle of this year, the worst place showing for the Island since this system was invented in 2011, although in recent months it managed to gain some points to place itself in ninth place, only 41 points above eighth place, Panama, a place it has not been able to surpass in the last two years.
He has unable to stem the the exodus of the country’s top talent, who seek a better life away from the island due to meager salaries.
At the local level, however, his mismanagement has been most evident. He has been unable to stem the exodus of the country’s top talent, who seek a better life away from the island due to the meager salaries (3,500 pesos for those playing in the National Series and 8,500 for those in the Elite League).
This year he has led to the country’s main sporting event, the National Series, being considered “the worst in history ,” a label that came not from an independent media outlet, but from public television on December 2nd. Almost during prime time, journalists from Tele Rebelde reviewed all the complications the season has faced, from thefts and teams not resting “because they didn’t have electricity the day before,” to umpires “not showing up,” players out “due to the virus,” and a lack of transportation, among other issues. At the end of the program, they said that “this has gone beyond what is acceptable” and issued a strong plea: “Baseball cannot be allowed to die in Cuba.”
While the 53-year-old official’s tenure has been marked by a scarcity of positive results, promises have been plentiful. Late last year, he outlined a four-year development program. He stated that the primary objective would be to reclaim the historical prominence Cuba once held in all levels of baseball. He also pledged to revitalize the talent development program, improve payment mechanisms for coaches and umpires, and implement a tiered salary structure for players. Furthermore, he maintained, priority would be given to developing talent at the youth levels.
However, those words came just months after he announced – for the second year in a row – the cancellation of the Under-23 Tournament . Pro-government journalists revealed at the time that in the country “there are several sports that cannot complete their competitions scheduled for the year due to logistical and budgetary difficulties.”
Official government journalists revealed at the time that in the country “there are several sports that cannot complete their competitions planned for the year due to logistical and budgetary difficulties”
A year earlier, in 2023 , neither the 9-10 year old national championship, the final stage of Baseball 5 nor the National Women’s Baseball Cup were held, and in addition the National Under-18 Championship, was left unfinished.
However, while these promising young players have been left without support, the president of the FCB will effectively control the careers of 16-year-old and Under-18 players by signing contracts. Just last December 8th, it was announced that the Federation will be the sole entity authorized to negotiate between these young prospects and foreign teams, which will bring up to $10 million into the state coffers to compensate for the athletes’ years of development.
Despite his shortcomings, he was reappointed to the position in April of this year. The criticism came from outsiders, but also from within the regime itself. Ernesto Amaya, a reporter for Radio Guamá and the Tele Pinar channel, said that Pérez Pardo’s “professional career has been marked by more missteps than achievements,” but that his reappointment “was not surprising” given the tendency to perpetuate lifetime appointments.
In a lengthy post, Amaya added that “the decision to reappoint Pérez Pardo reflects the lack of renewal and meritocracy in Cuban sports, as well as the complicity of those who voted for him.” He also said that “the reappointment is a reminder that, in Cuba, sports seem to be more linked to politics and personal connections than to merit and ability.”
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