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Luis Valbuena, Jose Castillo reportedly robbed after fatal crash, four arrested

By David Hill

Players of Venezuelan baseball team Los Cardenales de Lara, carry on their shoulders the coffin of their teammate Luis Valbuena, who died in a crash caused when thieves put a stone in the highway to disable his van, during a mass at the Antonio Herrera Gutierrez stadium in Barquisimeto, Venezuela on December 7, 2018. - Four people have been arrested in Venezuela in connection with the deaths of former American big league baseball players Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo. According to police reports stone criminals positioned on the road in a bid to rob the van caused the crash, a common assault strategy in crisis-wracked Venezuela. (Photo by NESTOR VIVAS / AFP) (Photo credit should read NESTOR VIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
Players of Venezuelan baseball team Los Cardenales de Lara, carry on their shoulders the coffin of their teammate Luis Valbuena, who died in a crash caused when thieves put a stone in the highway to disable his van, during a mass at the Antonio Herrera Gutierrez stadium in Barquisimeto, Venezuela on December 7, 2018. - Four people have been arrested in Venezuela in connection with the deaths of former American big league baseball players Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo. According to police reports stone criminals positioned on the road in a bid to rob the van caused the crash, a common assault strategy in crisis-wracked Venezuela. (Photo by NESTOR VIVAS / AFP) (Photo credit should read NESTOR VIVAS/AFP/Getty Images) /
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The fatal accident that took the lives of former MLBers Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo was part of a robbery gone wrong, as four people were arrested in Venezuela on suspicion of robbery.

On Thursday, an unspeakable tragedy occurred in Venezuela to rock the baseball world. Former major leaguers Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo were killed in a car accident following their game in the Venezuelan Winter League. Another former major leaguer, Carlos Rivero, was in the car as well, but survived the accident.

There had been suspicion that the accident was caused due to a robbery attempt, and that has all but been confirmed at this point. According to reports, Venezuelan police has arrested four people on suspicion of robbery after items that had belongs to Valbuena and Castillo were found in their possession.

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This is not an uncommon practice for robbery in Venezuela. Due to the economic conditions, the citizens have migrated to any means possible to be able to survive. Throwing rocks down onto the highway to force cars off the road, and subsequently rob them, has become one of those practices.

Given the passing of Valbuena and Castillo, this practice is getting more of a spotlight. The conditions in Venezuela have already attracted a lot of attention in the media, with it known that robbery and murder are part of everyday life. Yet, it took the passing of two former major leaguers for that to be hammered home, at least in baseball circles.

It will be interesting to see if major league organizations change their views about players going to countries like Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, given the number of fatalities on the latter country’s roadways. While they may not be able to outright ban them from a country, given the options for various Winter Leagues, it will be interesting to see if there is any persuasion to head to head to a different location. Likewise, it will be interesting to see if any players from Venezuela look to relocate themselves and their families.

Next. Angels Mount Rushmore. dark

Justice may be served when it comes to the passings of Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo. And yet, nothing is likely to change, aside from two famillies having their lives irrevocably shattered.

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