Yoel Adames F.
Santo Domingo- – The country is preparing in silence for its third wedding with the headquarters of the Central American and Caribbean Games, and the act of the great reunion will be in 2026.
However, the blessings are already in place and the houses that housed this commitment with splendor both in 1974, in Santo Domingo; as in 1986, in Santiago; they begin to show their experience and best efforts to re-make a great story for the entire Caribbean area.
The current Management Committee of the Games, jointly directed by the engineer José Manuel Ramos and Aristides Fernández Zucco, has the consent of the Mayor of the city, Carolina Mejía, who has expressed full public support for the Games; but previously the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, authorized him with the greatest interest to seek the headquarters to which he would provide all his support.
The imprint of Fernández and Ramos lit the fuse in October 2019, when with their own resources – in most cases – they covered protocols and registrations until they managed to enter the country in the contest openly.
They remember that there were several cities opting for the venue, but they were losing strength and credibility in the face of the drive and the history of the host of the Dominican Republic.
“In 2019 Ramos and I decided to move forward with the idea of a third Central American headquarters, we called Luisìn Mejía, who was already the president of Odecabe (today Centro Caribe Sports) and also president of the COD, to show him what we were up to. … To our surprise, he was having lunch at that time with Juan Vila, who went to ask him for the venue for Santiago ”, recalls Fernández Zucco.
“It was something like God himself … we took a risk and Ramos looked for a loan of 10,000 dollars and we registered the headquarters, in Puerto Rico,” says ‘Chato’ as Zucco is known among his intimates. “Vila did not find support in Santiago; Panama aspired and left the lawsuit; Two other venues did not even show up and we stayed in the city of León de Los Aldamas, and us, Santo Domingo ”.
In the end the bell did not ring, neither was León so fierce, the city of Guanajuato and the world shoe industry did not come out to fight for the headquarters at the last minute, leaving Santo Domingo alone as the only pretender city.
Luisìn: “They complied”
The current president of Centro Caribe Sports, and former president of the COD, Luisìn Mejía, spoke with LISTIN DIARIO and stated that the Dominican Management Committee has complied to the letter with all the demands made to obtain a venue.
“They have more than complied… The most difficult thing to get a headquarters is the support of the government of their country, without that it is difficult and with that everything is made easier.
“The committee that Ramos and Fernández represent was very forceful in bringing to their presentation the express authorization of President Luis Abinader, not even written, they took it in a video … and the President was clear and specific in that he will support the 2026 Games”, Luisìn said.
The president of Centro Caribe Sports recalled that another step that left the Organizing Committee very well was the support of the Mayor of Santo Domingo, Carolina Mejía.
Grateful bouquets
Engineer José Manuel Ramos, president of the Dominican Equestrian Federation, wanted to make public his personal gratitude and that of the entire Organizing Committee for the confidence of the President and his words of support for the Games.
“We will never forget that accolade from the President and it was key to obtaining the headquarters, at least we were left alone as a candidate. In the same way, the immediate support that Carolina gave us, since we requested it, we are very grateful, ”said Ramos, supported by Fernández Zucco.
KNOW MORE
* The city of Panama, capital of Panama, was the original headquarters, but was forced to abdicate the assembly for economic reasons.
* It is not yet official, since the protocol forces Centro Caribe Sports to wait until next year to give the final verdict.
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* Luisìn was clear when he told LISTIN DIARIO that the country has fulfilled “too much” all the requirements to obtain the headquarters.
* The capital city San Salvador is the headquarters of the Central Americans and the Caribbean for next year, 2023 in El Salvador.
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