Venezuela's Aracelis Léon becomes first woman to serve as COPABE president

Venezuela's Aracelis Léon becomes first woman to serve as COPABE president
02/05/2022
WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari congratulated Léon for uniting the 31 member Federations while the new COPABE President said: "This is the first step towards the success of the WBSC Americas project".

The president of the Venezuelan Baseball Federation (FEVEBEISBOL), Aracelis Léon, became the first woman to serve as the president of the Pan American Baseball Confederation (COPABE) after being elected to the position during the COPABE Congress on Sunday, 1 May, at the Hotel Dann Carlton in Barranquilla, Colombia. The vote of the 31 National Federations was unanimous.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari attended the Congress and congratulated Léon for uniting the COPABE members.

"I wish you all the best in your new position as President of COPABE and as the first woman to hold this position. I am sure that you will be an example for all the women of our movement," President Fraccari said. “Aracelis is a leader who has shown that she has achieved concrete things in her country and I think that she will be very important for COPABE, together with her working team.”

"This unity is the first step towards the success of the WBSC Americas project," commented Léon, who will serve for the period 2022- 2026 and becomes the first Venezuelan to lead COPABE since Edwin Zerpa left office in 1989. She is also a member of the WBSC Diversity and Inclusivity Commission.

The delegates also unanimously elected the COPABE board which includes Jorge Cabrera (El Salvador) as the secretary-general and José Quiles (Puerto Rico) as treasurer.

New COPABE Executive Board

  • President - Aracelis Léon (VEN)
  • Secretary General - Jorge Cabrera (ESA)
  • Treasurer – José Quiles (PUR)
  • Vice President from CONCEBE (North and Central American confederation): Guillermo Barillas (GUA)
  • Member At Large from CONCEBE (North and Central American confederation): Ramón Crespo (PAN)
  • Vice President from COCABE (Caribbean confederation): Juan Nuñez (DOM)
  • Member At Large from COCABE (Caribbean confederation): Juan Reynaldo Pérez (CUB)
  • Vice President from CONSUBE (South American confederation): Norge Nuñez (CHI)
  • Member At Large from CONSUBE (South American confederation): Alex Camacho (BOL)