Reyes Barrios, who previously was a keeper for the Perijaneros Fútbol Club in the state of Zulia, was due for a hearing on April 17, 2025. He had been applying for political asylum, a case he had a plausible chance to win given his backstory. Reyes Barrios was not an economic migrant, but he had participated in two marches against the government of Nicolás Maduro in the context of 2024’s controversial presidential election. The United States has long pressured the Maduro government—which the U.S. does not officially recognize—to hold free and fair elections. The U.S. responded angrily when Venezuela’s Supreme Court, aligned with Maduro, kicked his leading opponent off the ballot, and multiple demonstrations throughout the country were held.