Venezuela's head coach states Acuña's participation is not yet confirmed; the national team is currently in disarray.

Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. confirmed last week that he had been granted permission to play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). However, national team head coach Omar López stated yesterday that Acuña's participation has not been finalized. After this statement was shared on social media, Acuña himself responded under a post saying, "They're all lying, and the team is completely chaotic right now."

In an interview last week, Acuña clearly stated, "I have already received permission, so I can participate with confidence. I will report when the team gathers. Whether it's the Venezuelan winter league or the Classic, the approval is in hand. Thank God, there are no issues at all."

One week later, López mentioned Acuña when asked about the call-up process on Líder FM radio: "Regarding Ronald, we haven’t received any updates yet. I'm not saying he hasn’t been approved, but we have not gotten final confirmation that he has completed all the procedures."

After multiple media outlets shared the news that Acuña's participation was "not yet confirmed," he bluntly dismissed these reports under related articles, saying, "They're all lies, and the team is completely disorganized internally."

In the same interview, López admitted that even if the roster is announced in early February, adjustments might still be made due to insurance companies requiring additional documents or medical exams: "Because these players have not been officially approved or rejected, the insurance company demands more paperwork and medical reports. These tests will take place during spring training, after which their eligibility will be decided — José Alvarado is an example of this situation."