Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency: Cape Verde made a splash by participating in the World Cup for the first time. The African nation grabbed headlines by holding one of the tournament favorites, Spain, to a goalless draw. Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha earned praise for his outstanding performance in that match. In an emotional post-match reaction, Vozinha revealed that his mother had been unable to secure a US visa due to financial constraints. In January of this year, the US government added Cape Verde to a list of countries whose citizens are required to deposit a refundable security bond of up to $15,000—in addition to the standard visa fee. This extra cost prevented Vozinha’s mother from completing the visa process on time. However, the complication has finally been resolved; Vozinha’s mother, Ana Candida Evora, has been granted a visa. Consequently, she will be able to watch Cape Verde’s remaining World Cup matches live from the stadium. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader in the US House of Representatives, confirmed the news in a social media post. He stated, "I thank Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US State Department officials, representatives of the Cape Verdean government, and FIFA. Everyone worked together to make this happen." It is reported that after communicating with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the visa-related fees for Vozinha’s mother were waived, and the visa process was expedited.
FIFA and the Cape Verde Football Federation also cooperated in this process. As a result, Ana Candida Evora now has the opportunity to enjoy her son's World Cup journey from the stadium. Cape Verde’s next World Cup match is against Uruguay.
